Le Quinzième
by SaberAoi
Summary: After the death of a magi participating in the war before it officially started, the Grail chose a replacement master to take his place. Mahiro Ishida was dragged into a conflict that he knows nothing about, nor why he's there. But for some reason, the Grail chose him as the replacement. But what side will he chose to aid in the conflict? Fate/Apocrypha AU Image by Daisuki Moriyama
1. Quinzième

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fate/Series. All ownership goes to Type-Moon, and other respected owners. I only own my OC's

* * *

"God damn it, I'm late!", I panicked as I looked towards the alarm clock that read, '9:00 AM'. Barely able to keep my balance, I hopped around my apartment. The people who were living in the floor below were probably pissed from the stomping around that was going on above them. I was hopping around still struggling to get my uniform on, and manage the toast in the toaster. The cherry colored wooden floors were leading me to the exit on the apartment. The Sun was shining down upon me as the cherry blossoms fell. It would have been a perfect day if I weren't over half an hour late.

With a piece of toast in my mouth, I ran, I ran holding on to that toast for dear life. Just like I had saw from my apartment, the cherry blossom peddles were dancing towards the ground. Currently, it was late Spring. Nearing the end of May.

The school that I append wasn't too far from my apartment. It was roughly seven blocks in distance. The uniform was just a normal black button up blazer, and matching dress pants.

As I continued to run, I made it to the last corner until I was at my finish line. But with my luck, I lost my breakfast with that turn. "Damn it! My breakfast! Why that of all things?! Oh well, sacrifices must be made so Sensei doesn't get too much on my ass about being late". Just as I finished turning, the stone pillar that was marked in the front of the school read, 'Sakurasou High School' (Just made that up. I don't know if it's a real place or not. I hope it isn't though).

As soon as I got in the building, I switched to my indoor shoes, then made it to my class. My classroom was 2-B. I slid open the door to the class. It squeaked open and made a loud, obnoxious noise. As I just became visible to the class, everyone was staring at me. "Ishida, what are you doing?" Sensei asked.

"Going to school why?"

"You do know first period started about forty minutes ago don't you Ishida?"

"I'm aware of that. But I still have classes so, I'm coming to school."

Sensei was looking intently towards me. She seemed to be in a worse mood than she normally is. The piece of chalk in her hand looked as though it was about to crumble into a million pieces. A fire was about to start within her eyes. "Ishida, you do know what I'm thinking don't you?"

"You're my favorite student, so you can go and take your seat". Just as I said this I heard the piece of chalk crack. The cracking sound was followed by her slowly shaking her head.

I stuck up my right index finger as I said my next remark of, "You're off the hook this time so, just don't let it happen again?" Just as I finished this, I began to see a vain pop out on her face.

"Ishida," she said with a serious tone.

"Y-yes ma'am?" I gulped out. Sensei was a scary person when she was angry. Someone wouldn't be considered normal if they weren't scared of her at times like this.

"Stand in the hallway and hold the buckets of water!"

"Y-yes ma'am…"

I walked right out of the classroom that I had only just stepped in. For some reason the buckets were right outside of the classroom, and they were pre-filled too. Did she plan for this to happen this entire time? What a cold hearted teacher. I wonder why she chose teaching as her career? She would have been better off being a military Drill Sergeant.

"God, this sucks. If I had of known that this would happen, I would have just stayed home for the day. She really is a heartless person." I thought out loud. I quickly looked over my shoulder to see if she heard that. Luckily, I seemed to be in the clear on this one.

I was standing in the hallway for about twenty minutes until the bell rang signaling the end of first period. Once that happened, I put down the buckets and went into class. As I walked in, Sensei, gave me a look that would make any man run for the hills. I tried to brush it off and then made my way to my seat.

My seat was the second from the back in the row next to the row by the window. As I sat down, I put my bag on its hook and began to take out my books for the next class. Between each class, there is a ten-minute break. This is for not only the teachers, but the students too. It gives both of them a break before the next class starts.

"Hey, Ishida," the person who sat near the window called me out. "What's that red tattoo looking thing on your left hand?"

"What are you talking about? I don't have any tattoos". When I finished saying this, he pointed to my left hand. Reluctantly, I looked at it. "W-what the hell is this thing?!" I said in shock".

On my left hand, there was a red tattoo. It kind of looked like the katakana symbol for 'Ku (ク)'. But within the symbol there was a long curved almost triangular shape in it. Then above it, there was another one too.

After I realized that there was actually a tattoo on my hand, I covered it. I have no recollection on how that thing even got on my hand. I know for a fact that it wasn't there yesterday, and I didn't notice it this morning either. Wait, was it there this morning? I don't know at all. What if the teachers see this?! I could be suspended or expelled perhaps. Everyone might call me a Yankee or a Yukuzya! People already think that due to my white hair I don't want it in writing either!

The bell rang signaling that our second class was going to start. The teacher came in with his attendance book in hand. He opened it up and began to take attendance. I'm thankful that I sit in the back of the classroom. It seems to be very handy in situations like this.

When the teacher called, "Ishida Mahiro", I only replied with a 'yeah'. I waited for him to finish and raised my right hand to get his attention. He didn't say anything, but only nodded.

"Sensei, can I use the bathroom? It's kind of an emergency". I said hoping that he would just say yes. This was the only way for me to get out of the class and try to wash this stain off my hand. If it doesn't come off, then I don't know what I'm going to do.

Sensei just nodded to my question. Right after he did that, he faced the chalk board again and continued with the lessons.

I pushed back my chair, and slipped my left hand into my pocket. Using my right hand, I opened the sliding door. It made the same squeaking sound that it did when I originally walked into the class. When I stepped out and shut the door, it made that same obnoxious sound once more. It was loud enough to give me the chills.

The restroom wasn't too far from the classroom. It was on the second floor, so it was pretty close despite that fact too. It was right next to the stairwell. I tried to walk into it nonchalantly. Even if I succeeded, my efforts were a waste. This is due to no one being in the restroom at the time. I immediately went over to the sink. I looked in the mirror and my snow white hair reflected back off of it. I was looking into my own blue eyes questioning what was wrong with me.

I twisted the faucet and the water came pouring out of it. I was constantly scrubbing my left hand, but there were no signs of this thing on my hand erasing. It looked as though it wouldn't disappear no matter how hard, or how fast I scrubbed it. "Damn it!" I said as I hit my hand against the sink. "There's really nothing that I can do to get rid of this thing on my hand is there?" I thought out loud. I put my left hand in my pocket and left the restroom.

As I was walking out I realized that I had to have been in there for at least fifteen minutes or so. After the few paces there were between the restroom and the classroom, the door squeaked opened. I walked in and the teacher looked at me. "Ishida, are you okay?" he asked.

"Honestly, Sensei, I don't feel that good. I'm going to go home for the day". As I finished saying this, he dismissed me from all other classes for the day. After changing my shoes, I stepped outside of the school.

With my bag on my shoulder, I walked away from the building questioning what the hell was going on with today? It had a bad, but yet cliché start, but then I got branded by some weird adaptation of the katakana of 'Ku'. "I just want to go back to bed, and have this day be over," I thought out loud.

I walked the few blocks that separated my apartment from the school that I attended. It wasn't that long until I made it there. Once I got to the door of the apartment, I pulled out my phone, and checked the time. It was, '11:46'. While I had my phone out, I went through my contacts and went to the one that read, 'Work'. I hit dial and held my phone up to my ear. It only took a few rings until they picked up. "Satomi's Convenience Store, how may I help you?"

"Um, Ms. Satomi, It's me, Mahiro."

"Ah, Mahiro-Kun, what did you need us for? Wait! Shouldn't you be in school young man?!"

"Well, that's the thing … I don't feel all that well today so I was calling you to let you know that I won't be able to come in for my shift tonight."

"Oh my, I hope that you're okay."

"I think I just need rest and I should be better by tomorrow. I'm really sorry"

"No, no dear, don't worry about it. The two of us should be able to handle this for today."

"Are you sure? I can still try to come in for my shift tonight if you want me to." I said for the sake of sounding polite. Hopefully she won't really need me to come in.

"I want you to get some rest. Okay, we'll see you here tomorrow. Get well soon Mahiro!"

"Thank you, I'll see you guys tomorrow"

After that I hung up the phone. I slipped it back into my pocket traded my phone for my keys. I turned the door knot to go in. "I'm home," I called out to the empty room as I was taking off my shoes at the doorway. I don't know why I always say, 'I'm home', but it always finds a way to escape from my mouth whenever I come home. I live alone so; it isn't like anyone will hear me say it either. It's probably just my head trying to sooth me with happy thoughts.

I walked straight to the back of the room, and turned left to enter my own bedroom. The apartment I lived in was a decent sized one if that. It had one bedroom, a bathroom, and a living room that was quite giving in size. The best part about this place is that it was dirt cheap so, as a student, it was easy to afford.

My bedroom was just the way that I had left it. Everything was neat about it except the bed. When I left this morning I didn't have enough time to actually make it so, I just left it as it was. I walked right over to the unmade bed and plopped down right on it. It was the feeling that I needed to try and get my mind off of this hell hole of a day.

* * *

The red brand on my left hand flashed right in front of me. The was only darkness, but that was the light within it. The weird looking Katakana was bloated to a much larger proportion than it was on my hand. I don't know what I was looking at entirely, but something felt off about this whole thing from the start.

I began to walk towards the brand, but I wasn't sure what I was walking on to begin with. It was too dark to even see my own feet. I was only able to tell that I was walking on a very dark flat surface with only the brand facing me.

"You there!" A voice echoed through the space. Those words continued to bounce off of everything and had no place of origin. I looked around, but couldn't see anything.

"Who are you?!" I called out. My words echoed like the man who first called me.

"It is rude to ask for someone else's name without giving your own first".

"I'm Mahiro Ishida. Now, who are you?"

"Ah, so you're the one that the grail has chosen as my replacement. I am Harper Yggdmillennia. A master like you chosen by the grail."

What does he mean by the grail? What's a master, and how am I one now? I have a million and one questions, but I don't have a clue on where I want to start with asking them. Does he have the answers to my questions anyways?

"What do you mean by replacement?"

"Ah, a good question indeed. I have passed away due to a servant. The war has yet to start, but the grail felt the need to replace me with another worthy master. The grail works in mysterious ways does it not?"

"What's this grail thing that you keep going on and on about? I have no idea what you're talking about here. Nothing you are saying is making any sense! I have no clue what the grail, a master, or a servant is!"

"So, that's the case is it? I felt a weak magical force coming from you so, you must have some ability. It seems like I just have to forcefully activate your circuits."

The room that was completely dark with the red brand in the background, began to be engulfed with some foreign light. It was a man that was dressed up in what looked like a professional white suit and his presence graced the surrounding areas as he descended from above. He landed right in front of me with the grace of an angle and looked me in the eye. He greeted me with a smile. Following that, his hand went on my shoulder and I felt a surge going through my body. I began to cough up blood from that and its crimson color reflected off of the pitched black flooring.

"That should just about do it". As he finished saying this, I fell to my knees. My entire body was in shock and I couldn't move an inch. I looked up at the man with the feeling of dried up blood covering some of my face. "It isn't much, but you should be able to sustain Saber for now."

"W-who's Saber?"

"Well, sorry my boy, but it seems as though my time in up. Just so you know, they're coming tonight and they know where you are. So, do us all a favor and stay alive until Saber gets there". He turned his back towards me and that light that engulfed him followed him. He held his hand up to say goodbye as he walked away. I tried to reach out to him, but my attempts were futile. In the end, I just collapsed and the room went back to black.

* * *

"Ahhh!" I panicked as I woke up. I couldn't calm down my constant panting, and my eyes were wide open not giving me the ability to shut them. "It was just a dream right?" I thought out loud. I looked around my room, and reached for the lamp that was near my bed.

The light went on and my room lit up as though Yggdmillennia was somehow in my room. I looked at my bed, and my pillow was covered in red, and filled the room with the stench of blood. "Th-that was a dream wasn't it?"

I fell into a panic attack staring at the blood stained pillow. As my heart rate increased it began to be harder and harder to breath. It was like I was pushed underground to the point where I wasn't able to obtain any oxygen. The room was spinning in circles. I couldn't feel anything; it was as though my body just went numb on me.

"No, it was just a dream! Just a very, very, very bad dream. That's all it was. I had a bad day so, it just reflected it as that. Nothing more, nothing less". I said in order to calm myself down. I feel slightly insane still due to just talking to myself. "I'll just go for a walk. That'll clear my head".

I finally changed out of the blood covered uniform. I threw on black sweat pants along with a white tee-shirt. Over the tee-shirt, I put on my black hoodie. After zipping everything up I walked to the door and put on my shoes. I stepped outside of the house and began to walk.

I looked at my phone, and it was, '20:36'. "I slept through the day huh?". The pink colored cherry blossom peddles still stuck out while the sun wasn't out. Just looking at them seemed to be able to calm me down. I began to make my way to the playground that wasn't too far away from where I lived. There was a little gate there that was the entrance to it. The only thing that made this park visible at this time of night were the street lights. I sat down on the swings with a blank state of mind.

The swing was slowly rocking back and forth as I was staring at the back of my left hand. The tattoo wasn't a dream, but it was something that wouldn't vanish either. "That Yggdmillennia guy said something about a master, servant, and the Holy Grail from Christianity, but I have no idea what any of that means. Then he said something like survive until Saber gets here. But who the hell is Saber?"

Stopping for a moment, I thought to myself without speaking for once. This could all be a delusion or being half asleep I could have been just having the continuing dream after all. I think I should just go home and go back to sleep. Unless I'm some kind of anime character th-

Out of nowhere, all the lights in the area turned off. This broke my chain of thought. I began to look towards the exit, and couldn't see anything. The lights began to flicker a bit, until they were back on. Right under the street light across the street, a man with white hair and a black trench coat began to walk towards the park that I was sitting in.

I don't know why, but I had a bad feeling about the man who was slowly approaching me from the distance. It was like I could feel his presence from that far away. I felt like a deer cornered by some predator. He had his hands in his pockets as he walked towards me slowly as if he was just some other guy on a walk.

"Geez, having to kill the same servant's master twice within the course of a day is a real pain." He complained aloud differing from his menacing appearance and the stench of iron that surrounded him.

What does he mean by that? He did say something about killing someone right? No, not about killing someone, but killing me. I was staring at him unable to move, or blink. I was frozen with fear. My body won't do what I want it to do. "Work god damn you! Work! C'mon legs move!". No matter how many times I said this they still wouldn't get up. I was glued to the swing that I was sitting in.

A weird looking sword appeared in his hand. It has an ax like tip to it. Something like an executioner would use for chopping someone's head off. "W-where the hell did he get that?!" I panicked. He rested the blade on his shoulder. Before I knew it, he was already in the park. He held a steady pace as he marched closer, and closer towards me.

"Hey, Garcon just make it easier on the both of us here. I promise that your head will come off with one swing, and you won't feel a thing when it happens. It's nothing personal, but I'm just doing my job here." The man said as he tilted his head to the side slightly obviously not enjoying his job.

B-b-b-b-but….

W-what the hell does this guy think I am? Does he honestly think that I'll just sit here and wait for death to come? No, no it's not going to happen like that! No normal person would wait for their death to come.

The man stood only inches away from me now. He readied his sword in his hand, and began to talk. "Garcon (French for Boy), have you ever realized that every year, you pass the day that you will die, but you never seem to notice it". Staring intensively at his shoulder, just so I could get the right timing on his swing. With the upwards motion of his shoulder, the ax tipped blade came swing at me.

I fell off of the swing, and onto my back. I wasn't sure if it was pure luck, or if it was fear that pushed me away from him. "Oh, seems like I missed there," he said somewhat amazed. He walked around the swing to where I was laying.

I pushed myself up onto my feet, and began to run. I ran in the opposite direction of the man in the black trench coat. His azure blue eyes looked lifeless as he began to walk towards me once more. "Kid, I told you it's not going to hurt. I'm a professional at taking heads, I know what I'm doing".

Is that … his excuse of making me feel better about this? This is honestly how I'll die isn't it? Alone, found dead, and lying face down face down in a puddle of blood. I guess I can't weaver from my fate. But just then, Harper Yggdmillennia's last words to me came to mind. 'So, do us all a favor and stay alive until Saber gets there'. So, all I have to do is dodge until this Saber person comes and helps me right? If help is coming, then I can do this.

I pivoted my foot, and turned around to face the ax-sword wielder. His eyes lit up a bit more now that I had turned to look at him. "My, my, so you actually think that you have a chance at beating me? I specialize in killing humans like you".

It probably wasn't visible to him, but my knees were shaking to the point where they could just give out on me at any moment. It was something that would make or break this entire bluff that I had going on. "Look, I don't know why you're trying to kill me, but then again, I don't know why I'm even in this mess. I do know that one thing you said earlier is definitely true".

"Oh, and what might that be?"

"It's how we pass our death date yearly, but we never seem to notice that it's there. But… I know for a fact that today isn't the day I die just yet!"

"How can you be so sure of that?" The man smiled half-heartedly.

"Simple, I'm just too stubborn, I don't want to die yet. So, I won't let you kill me".

The man seemed to find some humor in my claim. He began to laugh out into the open. "Interesting, interesting indeed! To stubborn to die? If only the other people that I had killed said that too! It would have made it just that much more enjoyable. Killing for justice, but killing is killing no matter how you look at it. I've just grown accustomed to doing it. It's what I do Garcon, so no it's nothing against you. But before I take your stubborn skull off, I want to know your name."

"The man that wants to kill me wants my name? That surely is something isn't it? Mind me asking why you want it?"

"I don't think I'll ever be able to forget someone who has your attitude towards death. That good for you?"

"…. My name is Mahiro Ishida."

"Mahiro Ishida … I see, so the only victim who was too stubborn to die name is Mahiro Ishida. I will not forget it".

"Neither will I. I plan on living here so, I don't think I can forget my own name just yet."

"We'll see about that."

"I suppose we will". Just as I finished saying this, the man in the black trench coat came charging at me with that ax-sword in hand. I closed my eyes and waited for the worst to come.

"Assassin!" A voice came from the near distance. It was closing in at a rapid rate. I opened my eyes just to see the ax-sword that was only centimeters away from me being pushed away by a shiny rapier.

"Oh, Saber it took you long enough to get here". The man in the trench coat said whose name is Assassin.

"If it wasn't for your cheap tricks, I would have been here sooner. Your ability to cancel your presence is a real pain, Sacrebleu" Said Saber.

Assassin jumped back after Saber's blade collided with his. The two of them had a standoff type of vibe filling the air.

Saber took the first move and charged at Assassin. Due to Assassin blocking it, the force of the impact crackled the ground a bit. It was hard to even tell what the two of them were doing while they were at that close of range. Everything that was going on there was all a blur from where I was standing. I heard the constant clanking of metal-on-metal as they were close.

Both of them pushed the other away from themselves. Their goal was to create distance between each other. But the distance wasn't too grand. It was only enough so that they were out of the reach.

"Assassin, you really are a coward of a heroic spirit. You kill my first master while he was sleeping. The very man that I offered my loyalty and pride to, and then you try to kill this boy here. The boy that is my only hope to continue to fight in this war still. The Grail was on my side when it gave me a second chance a fighting, and you are trying to kill him even though he is without a servant?"

"Seems to be that way doesn't it? You're right I am a coward, but beating you should be pretty easy about now. It seems like you only have about an hour or so left with you here doesn't it?"

Saber didn't say anything, but she only gritted her teeth. She must of knew that what that Assassin guy is saying is true, but I have no idea what they're talking about. I want to run away and go back home, but I can't just leave when things are like this. The two of them were facing each other and readied their weapons.

Charging at one another once more, they two blades collided and formed an 'X' like shape with each other. Sparks began to fall off of the grinding blades, and made an orange-like color that lit up the area around the two of them. Saber broke out of the lock that Assassin made with the blade, and began to fire back with a barrage of fencer like attacks. She seemed to be very proficient with jabbing her rapier at her target in battle.

It seemed as though in every area, Saber would be able to beat Assassin. But as things continued, the battle seemed to slow down to a point where I could vaguely make out what was actually going on in their battle.

Saber's rapier was much smaller, and thinner than Assassin's ax-sword type of blade. Assassin, seemed to be able to see through each of Saber's attacks, and blocked them at will. Though it was easy to tell that Saber was had him cornered due to her nonstop barrage of attacks coming at Assassin from all different angles. At first glance her plan of attack seemed to be pretty simple. She continued to swing at a speed that was hard for Assassin to keep up with. Each of her individual strikes had their own meaning to them, and were there to wear him down. She was trying to get him to the point where he couldn't block them anymore, and is waiting for the moment to land a strike.

I watched in awe. The sheer beauty of her skill with a sword was magnificent. Every move that she made had its own significant meaning behind it, and not a single step she took was a waste. Weather it was forward or backwards, or left to right.

That wasn't the end of it either. Assassin's trench coat was beginning to show the damage that Saber was going to him. Around the body and arms there were clear signs of ripped pieces cut by Saber's rapier, as well as holes poked throughout the entire jacket.

Assassin seemed to be desperate at this time. He was having trouble keeping up with the skill Saber had with her sword. Assassin found a way to create distance between them, and jumped back. It didn't seem as though Saber was ready to give up on her barrage of attacks yet. Doing so, looked good at first glance, but it didn't seem to be that way from a viewer's stand point.

I was looking at Assassin. His shoulders tensed up as he raised his weapon. "Saber look out!" I called out to her. The ax-sword was swung at the level of her neck. She rolled under it, and her hat fell off while doing so. It was carried by the wind flying towards me direction. The wind placed it right in my hands.

The hat was fairly large and blue. It had a white flower, and a pink piece that stood up on it. It seemed to be one of those old timey hats that they wore in Europe a long time ago.

After rolling under Assassin's horizontal strike, Saber, with her fencing stance, jabbed her rapier just a little bit below his left shoulder. Once she pulled it out, she flicked the blade so that the blood flew off of it.

The ax-blade in Assassin's hands fell to the ground as he covered his wound. Once it fell, it began to vanish as if it was never there before. He staggered further and further away from Saber. Saber didn't move from her stance, nor did she take a step forward either. Her rapier was readied and pointed towards Assassin.

"Very well Master, I will return" Assassin groaned in pain as he began to vanish. Saber sheathed her blade and turned towards me. She began to walk closer and closer towards me.

She stopped right in front of me. I handed her hat back to her. Once she got it she put it on. The girl in front of me was charming enough to make me speechless. She had blond hair that would shine like gold. Her hair was tied into a pony tail, with her hair resting over her left shoulder. Her bangs were just about eye lever, and the sides of her hair went a little past her shoulders. She had eye's blue enough to rival the color of the sky. She wore a light blue coat with frills on the sleeves, and under it, a white dress like shirt with a pink bib like object hanging from around the collar.

I snapped out of my daze once I seen her take off her hat. "Monsieur, I would like for you to become my master. I am but a lone servant who wishes to pledge my loyalty to you. Together, the two of us will win the grail, and get the things that we desire from it. So, will you be my master?"

* * *

Author's Note: Well, writing this didn't take as long as I thought it would. I wrote this due to a really bad case of Writer's block on TWOSK, but I really love the Fate/Series so, I made this. I'm quite happy with the way this turned out, and I hope you the reader are too. If people enjoy this, then I'll continue to write it, because I enjoyed writing this so… yeah.

Anyway, it's a fourteen servant Holy Grail War a Fate/Apocrypha AU if you must know. I want to try and fill this with all OC's and I kind of need help with that. So if you're willing to help, then please fill this out and send it to me in a PM.

Name: First/Last

Age:

Appearance:

Personality:

Occupation:

Magic:

Residence (Country they live in or be more specific if you want):

Proficient Languages:

Servant's Class:

Servant's True Name:

 **Also, a special thanks to King Keith, the one who edited this for me. You should check out his work, he's awesome!**


	2. Guerre

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fate/Series. All ownership goes to Type-Moon, and all other respected owners. I only own my OC's

* * *

The crescent moon's beam of light was gleaming down upon me. Its light sparkled as it scattered across the ground. Saber's shadow was casted upon me. Her glare did not waver as she stood there in silence.

I was in shock from everything that had just happened before my eyes. It was a war between these things that weren't human. I can't think of a better word to describe them other than monsters. What I just witnessed was a feat that no human could even come close to accomplishing. It was just as I was told when I was young. 'Humans are mere weaklings who like to view themselves as the strongest. We think that because we rely on things that aren't human to begin with. But it isn't our strength that makes us think that. No, it's are ability to adjust to the things that are going on around us and rely on our own intellect and judgement. That's what gives humans the right to think this, but it isn't true. A hunter is also the hunted'. I don't remember exactly who told me this, but whoever did, was right. Never in a million years could a human compete with the monster that stood right in front of me.

The monster's lips finally began to move. "Monsieur, I would like for you to become my master. I am but a lone servant who wishes to pledge my loyalty to you. Together, the two of us will win the grail, and get the things we desire from it. So, will you be my master?"

I was left speechless from what I had just heard. This monster wants me to become it's so called "master". What even is that? I remember Harper Yggdmillennia had said something to me along those lines while I was sleeping, but he never said what it was. Just that the Holy Grail of Christianity had selected me to be one who competes in this war that it made.

"Monsieur, I await your answer" Saber said while looking down upon me. I held the hat that the wind passed to me while she was in battle with the white-haired man who just vanished after Saber inflicted a wound to his shoulder.

I pushed myself off the ground and Saber responded with taking a few steps back. My legs were trembling like they were when that Assassin guy was here trying to kill me. I couldn't lift my head up to face Saber who was standing right in front of me. I looked at my left hand which was still marked by the brand that this so called, 'Holy Grail' gave to me. I couldn't help but smile to try and hide the fear that was clearly shown throw my trembling legs.

"So, your name is Saber?" I finally said. My gaze didn't lift the dirt that was patted on the ground filled with foot prints.

The wind began to whisper along with Saber's voice. "That is what I am called, so yes, that is my name". He words traveled the distance and hit hard enough to make me look up.

"So … you're not here to kill me?" I said barely able to keep my balance. If I moved even a centimeter, I knew that my legs would give out on the spot. I stood there motionless as the soothing presence of the night breeze graced the both of us.

"Monsieur, I would never do anything of the such to you. I only seek companionship with you for the quest to obtain the Holy Grail so both of our dreams will become our reality. I will ask you once more, will you be my master, monsieur?" Saber asked in a soothing tone. Saber's voice was that of a melody through her the words. "Those marks upon your hand make you suitable to become my master. Please allow us to create a pact together and fight for the grail" Saber added.

"Honestly, I'm shocked. I don't know what I should do here. I don't know anything about this, this grail wars thing! Nothing makes sense to me! I don't know why I was chosen to fight for the grail and I don't know what it has to do with me. But … you, Saber saved my life. So, I will be your master" just as I finished forcing these words out that were trapped deep inside, my legs stopped shaking.

I handed Saber's hat back and she held it close to her as she got onto one knee. "Master, I ask, what art thou name?".

"My name?" I asked in shock. "My name, is Mahiro Ishida, but just call me Mahiro" as I finished saying this, she stood back up.

"Upon that, our pact is complete. Let our fates be intertwined. Mahiro, my blade is only, but yours to command. I Saber pledge my loyalty and pride to you. Together, the two of us shall win the Holy Grail!" Saber said dramatically. She was speaking as if she were the protagonist in a medieval play. It appears she would be able to pull off the role of a knight quite well.

"Saber … I think that you're being just a tad bit too dramatic here. Anyway, let's go back to my place. It isn't much, but it should be good enough".

"Very well Monsieur, I will allow you to lead the way to place in which you reside" Saber said while putting on her hat. Looking at her like this, she looks like some cosplayer at an anime convention. Or perhaps an otaku who is running around in Akihabara. Maybe even someone who is running around during Halloween.

I took the first step out of the park and Saber followed closely. Her pace matched mine on complete synchronization, but a few steps behind me. I lead the way through the few blocks that separated my apartment building from the park. The walk there was unbearable due to the silence that followed Saber and I. "Saber" I said to break the awkward silence.

"What is it Monsieur?" she asked within moments.

"Um, we're almost at my apartment, but when we get there, there are a few things I need to ask you".

"Very well, but I'm assuming they're about the Holy Grail War aren't they" she said. I could only wonder if she was a mind reader of some sort. Or if it was that I was just that easy to read. Maybe she was just expecting the questions to come in general?

It wasn't too long until the two of us made it to my apartment. I unlocked the door and to two of us walked in. "I'm home" I called out into the empty room. Saber had a blank expression of confusion.

"Monsieur, does anyone else live here with you?" she asked after I announced my presence to the empty room. Saber had ever rite to ask that of me. She would be staying her throughout the durability of this war, but I can't help but feel embarrassed from Saber hearing me say that.

"Ah no, no one lives here with me. I just say it to make me feel at home, I guess".

"I see well Monsieur, welcome home" my heart skipped a beat. This was my first time hearing those words being directed towards me in a very long time. It was the true meaning of being at home. I couldn't help but shed a tear to the blessings giving to me in this heartless world.

"Saber, thank you. It means a lot that you said that" I said as I wiped away the tears.

"Monsieur, why are you crying? Don't you have friends and such that come visit?" she asked.

I pondered on my choice of words for moments on end. "No... not really... well, no, not at all..."

"Why is that?"

"It isn't that, but like even if I had a friend or something over, it wouldn't be them welcoming me home. At the end of it all, they're just coming into my home as a guest. But I've never heard those words directed towards me before. S-sorry, I know it sounds kinda dumb, doesn't it?"

"No, not at all," Saber responded in a soothing tone. Both of us took our shoes off as we left the entrance way of the apartment. We made it to the living room. The two of us took a seat in the living room across from each other. Saber took off her hat and placed it on her lap. "Monsieur," she started trying to change the subject from what happened at the doorway just moments ago. "You said you had some questions that you wanted to ask me. Now is as good of a time as any so, please ask and I will answer to the best of abilities".

"Okay, then I will. First off, what is this Holy Grail War that you keep bringing up?".

"That's a nice place to start" she started. She went on to saying that this war is basically a free-for-all battle between servants who are heroes from the past. Normally there are just seven of these heroes fighting, but Saber informed me that this was what was known as the "Greater Grail Wars" where fourteen heroes were summoned to fight. But this in only possible from the magi who manifest them, or anchor them into the world of the living.

"So, just to make sure that I got this … this Greater Grail War is a free-for-all battle between fourteen heroes known as servants?" I asked to confirm my understanding of Saber's explanation. "But throughout my entire life, I've never heard of a 'hero' in my history text books known as Saber or Assassin" I followed up with.

"I suppose I did skip over that part. Those are the titles bestowed upon us as classes to represent our skills that we acquired in our time of living" she said and then went into deeper detail. Saber explained how there were seven classes in the war: Saber, Archer, and Lancer were the three knight classes. As Rider, Caster, Assassin, and Berserker are part of the four Calvary classes. She went further into saying how Riders were heroes who rode various vehicles and animals into battle. Casters were expert mages along with Berserkers who were men driven into madness. She didn't go into the Assassin class though. Maybe she thought it was self-explanatory?

"So, Saber is just your class name? Then who are you really?".

"I would prefer if you stayed ignorant of that for just a while longer. My name isn't something that you need to know. You just need to know that Sabers are the strongest servants there are to offer of all participating servants in the war".

"I see … so, I should just call you Saber?".

"That will do. For originally, I am Saber of Black, but it is your choice for who we serve. We could join the Red faction or fight for the Black faction. If you wanted to, you could just stay on your own too. I'll leave the decision up to you. For you are my master and I'll let you chose".

"I just don't know yet. I don't know what the difference is between them. I want some time to think of this".

"I see, that's what makes you the wild card of this war. You could give the Red faction an advantage or you could fight for the Black faction and even out the war once more".

"I see, so I could possibly make or break this war?". Saber only nodded in response to my question.

"Monsieur, I do not mean to be rude, but why does your home reek of the iron stench of blood?". Now that I think about it she's right. The smell of blood fills the room. I was coming from my bedroom.

"Oh that … yeah, it's a long story. I had a dream where this man called Harper Yggdmillennia showed up in my dreams and did something to me that made me spit up blood, but it seemed to happen in the real world too".

"Master, you met Monsieur Yggdmillennia? Please explain what happened. He was my former master before the two of us formed a pact". I went in to telling Saber everything that happened in my dream. How Harper Yggdmillennia, showed up and told me about her then said he opened my magic circuits or something like that. She nodded in response.

"That would make sense due to the familiar feeling of mana that was being produced from you. So, if what you said is true then it would make sense. You might also know the same magic he used too from that".

"Saber, I don't know any type of magic. I was never taught it by anyone. The Holy Grail War is the first time that I ever heard of magic".

"I understand that, but it's something that you should know just by instinct. Monsieur Yggdmillennia was a user of Time Alteration magic. So, by opening your circuits I believe he implanted his crest in you to carry on with the war and become a suitable host to supply my mana. I believe that it will show soon enough" Saber started with only taking a brief pause. "Monsieur, is that all you have in regards to questions?"

It took me a minute to realize the other lingering question on my mind. I looked at the branded mark sitting on my left hand. "What is this thing that's on my hand". Saber looked right at the red marks on my left hand.

She opened her mouth and went on to explaining how this marks were called Command Seals and that they were a form of magic that were soupier to any form of magic. In a sense, Saber said that it made the impossible, possible. Other than that, she said how they gave me three absolute authorities over her too. Plus, they were what branded me as a master in the war we're in.

"I see, so that's what these are?" I said in amazement. "But I don't feel right using these Command Seals or whatever they're called. You're a person too and you have your very own will so, no one has the right to command you to do something that you don't want to".

"I see, Monsieur, I am happy to hear those words from you. It's touching to hear that you think that way of me, a Servant, but I cannot allow that way of thinking. That being said, I am not opposed to you not forcing me to do something against my will, but if you are in danger and I am not around at the time, you must use a command seal to summon me if something like that were to occur. Do I have your word that you'll do that is you're in danger?". The look in her eyes was one filed with care, kind of like those a mother makes for their children to understand that she's worried about them.

"You have my word. I will use a command seal to summon you if I am in a sort of danger" I replied to her stubborn demands. Looking at Saber now, she seemed to be relieved to hear me say that as her facial expression relaxed slightly. "Saber, would it be okay if we called it a night? I have off tomorrow during the day, but at night, I have work. So, we'll go around the city. Wait, you'll standout like a sore thumb if you're walking around in that".

"So, I need clothes that will fit in with this era if I want to fit in within this era." Saber said looking at her current clothing." I doubt clothes such as this are worn currently."

"More than likely, but I think you might be fine for a little bit. The school I go to mails out uniforms to the students, and they sent me a girl's uniform by mistake so, you should be good in that for the time being". I think they sent this due to me messing with my registration form.

"The uniform's gender doesn't not matter to me Monsieur, but I can be a girl if that's what you want me to be" Saber said out in the open.

"Wait … so, you're not a girl?" I asked in confusion, looking at her...er his body features.

"Nor am I a man. For I Saber am whatever my master wishes for me to be!" Saber said with pride glowing like the sun from her chest. I mean, I at least hope Saber is a she.

"Saber, I couldn't be any more confused right now".

"Then Monsieur, what do want me to be?" Saber asked. I have this strange feeling that this is a trick question. How can Saber be anything that I want? It's the twenty-first century and nowadays, people choose to identify as Attack Helicopters, or Dragons so, I don't know where to go from here. Saber could be anything that's thrown into that mix.

"My options are only male or female correct?" I asked to have certainty of my options.

"What other genders besides male or female could I be Monsieur?" Saber asked. While Saber was telling me about the Holy Grail, she said how the Grail gave all servants information about the common era that would prove to be necessary for the servants to know. So, did the Grail deem the whole gender issue irrelevant, or did the Grail accidentally skip over that part?

"Honestly, I think that you're a girl Saber. I thought you were a girl from first glance".

"Then it is as you say Monsieur, I am a woman" she answered. The air between us seemed to turn into something that was less dense. Saber seemed to be someone who was easier to talk to after we had this conversation about the grail. I felt more at ease with her near me. My house finally became a home when she showed up.

"Well, Saber I'll get you the extra futon and we'll call it a night. She nodded and stayed in the chair she was sitting in. I left the room for a moment just to reach for the futon and came right back into the room where the two of us were previously sitting.

I walked in the room with the futon nudged in-between my arm. "Saber could you push the coffee table back a little bit?" I asked.

"Consider it done Monsieur" she replied. She pushed the table into the corner of the room. Now, there was just the sofa, chair and an open space located in the middle of the room. I placed the futon down in that spot for Saber and I took the couch.

"Good night Saber" I said before turning the lights off.

"Yes Monsieur, good night"

* * *

The Sun rose like it did on just any other day. I looked around the room with the Sun glaring down through the window. Saber way lying on the floor and seemed to be at piece while doing so. "So, she's still asleep?" I thought out loud.

"Good morning Monsieur" Saber said in a broken-up way as she yawned.

"G-good morning Saber".

"Monsieur, there are a few things that I want to ask of you. You are my Master, so I would like you not to work. Going to work at night is dangerous. The battles we servants fight, all are under the cover of the moon" she said. I was in pure shock. Not just by her demand, but that fact that she could think of a thought that complex only moments of waking up.

"Saber, I don't know if that's something that I can do. I need to support myself one way or another. I have classes during the day so, I can't change shifts either. I still need food and I have rent I pay too".

"I see, that would pose a problem, wouldn't it?" she rhetorically asked. "Then it seems that I cannot change the fact that you need the necessities of life. Then you leave me no choice. I will have to attend your job alongside you to keep an eye on you".

"H-how are you going to do that? What are you going to do, loiter in the store for four hours?"

"No, I can turn into a spirit from where no one, but a servant can see me".

"So, then you don't need the uniform?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"I never said that. In all honesty, I prefer to say in a material form. This new era amazes me so; I want to walk across it. Also, Monsieur why do you have that uniform?".

"It's a long story". I went in to telling Saber how I filled out the application for the high school that I go to in the middle of the night. I was half asleep and just came home from work. At the end of me filling it out I realized that I forgot to put my name at the top and all I got down that night was the kanji for 'Ma' and blacked out. Little did I know when I woke up it was day time and without noticing, I wrote the kanji that meant, 'day time' which is 'Hiru' so, the name written on the paper said Ishida Mahiru instead of Mahiro which 'Hiro' is written with the kanji of 'looking for'.

"It sounds like you had a lot of explaining to do when you got to school the first day".

"Tell me about it. The teachers found it so funny that they had me keep a girl's uniform as a memory of it".

"I see, well Monsieur shall we start the day with you showing me around?" Saber asked. I tilted my head in confusion to her remark. It was a completely different topic compared to what we were talking about beforehand.

"Uh… yeah, sure let's go". It didn't take too long for the two of us to get dressed and left the apartment.

I looked at Saber in pure awe. The way that she looked in that uniform was like nothing that I had never seen before. Majority of the girls at my school look meh, though there are some… quite attractive ones, she puts that bland black sailor uniform on another level. "Monsieur, does this look weird on me? You seem to keep staring at me".

"N-NO... it's actually the opposite. The uniform looks great on you! No, that's definitely an understatement…I can't think of the right words to use to describe it, but…" I stared until Saber interrupted me.

"A-alright Monsieur, I'm flattered by your praise. I believe that I am unworthy of your words of kindness, but Monsieur, thank you" she said with a smile bright enough to rival the sun. I couldn't even hide my blush. "Monsieur, are you alright? You look a bit red. Should we hold off on our travels?".

"N-no, I'm fine, really". She reluctantly sighed it off as it was no big deal after hearing what I had to say about it. "A-anyway Saber let's go" I said as I took the lead. Saber started to follow me down the stairs and to the city.

Periodically, we stopped at a few places so I could show her the area. One of them happened to be my school and other places around the area. There wasn't much around the area where I lived. It was a small suburban area of the outskirts of the main city which was a few miles away. It would take about forty minutes to walk there, but just fifteen by taking the bus.

"Saber we're going to take the bus to go to the main city".

"I see. So, that is all this area has to offer? It seems to be quite different than France and it is fun to see this new area with my own eyes so, I hope the bus is just as interesting".

"Oh, I suppose that the bus wasn't around when you were living".

"Yes, I know of them from the Grail giving me the information about the modern world. But if needed, I could even operate the vehicle if needed".

"I can't even do that…"

"Do not think much of it Monsieur. The Saber class has a riding ability that allows me to operate any vehicle as long as it is not a phantasmal beast or creature. Instinct just happens to take control from there and I'll just know what I have to do".

"So, it's kinda like the language thing too?".

"There is definitely a connection between the two in terms of concept. The grail gives me the information needed to speak the languages needed. Need them be English, Russian, Spanish, Japanese, and so on". I can't help but be intrigued by the abilities of the servants that the grail gives to them. It's just unreal, how the can grail can make the most advanced human life form there is.

The two of us waited a few minutes for the bus to come to the stop we were waiting at. We boarded it and I paid the admission for the bus. It took about fifteen minutes until we got to the main city. We stepped off the bus and Saber looked at the area in awe.

I led her from place to place stopping at some important places like museums, parks, etc. The two of us didn't stay in the city very long either. There isn't that much in the city. It's mainly just a shopping district and a place where tourist tend to go. Other than that, it's just a city in name with nothing worth noting.

It was late in the afternoon when we got off the bus back to the local area where I lived. Saber seemed to be a happy from the touring of the city. "Um…Saber, before we go home there's one last place that you didn't see yet."

"What might that be Monsieur?" she asked as she slightly tilted her head.

Saber followed right behind me holding a steady pace. She observed her surroundings of the area as she walked. We passed buildings and houses, just to reach the place that I was trying to find the entire time.

The two of us stopped at the entrance, but something felt off. It wasn't just the look that Saber was giving the place, but it had to be something else. It was a feeling that was hard to describe, but any idiot would be able to tell when they're supposed to fear something. "Monsieur, something about this place doesn't settle with me" Saber said as we stood at the entrance to the building.

"Yeah… I think I know what you mean. I come to this library all the time though, but it feels off for some reason". The air surrounding this building was thick. Walking near it gave me goosebumps.

"I do not believe it is wise to go any further Monsieur. There's a servant in there".

"Well, that's not a big deal right now, is it?" I asked. Saber's face was filled with shock by my words.

"Do you not know what this means Monsieur? The enemy is inside that building!"

"That isn't completely right if I have all of my ducks in order" She looked at me in confusion. I wasn't sure if it was because I sounded like an idiot saying 'having my ducks in order', or if the idea of possibly walking into a death trap didn't quite settle with her. "Well, you did say how the battles fought in this war are fought at night. Also, I haven't picked a faction yet. So as the 'Wild Card', it wouldn't make much sense for people to attack me". After making my point, Saber could only sigh in response.

"It appears that you've made up your mind, haven't you?"

"Pretty much".

I took the first step forward towards the door, but at the same time I could be walking straight into Hell. I reluctantly stepped forward and the doors automatically slid open. Just looking at the place, there was nothing that seemed to be out of the ordinary. The library looked just as I remembered it. The wooden shelves were in the same place, the tables and chairs were too. There was still the same boy who worked at the counter of the building too. I couldn't tell what was so scary about entering the peace and quiet of the local library. Just like the library, Saber hadn't changed either. She was still on her toes and had her guard up. She closed the distance that she had set before as she was following me and was now at my side.

"Monsieur, the aura is coming from over there" she said as she pointed to the boy behind the checkout counter. I found it hard to believe she was right just by looking at him. He had to be in middle-school if anything. He had long black hair tied in a short ponytail, pale skin, and brown eyes that hid behind glasses. It looked as if he had no meat on his bones. Plus, I can't see anything bad coming from a kid who's below the average height for someone his age.

"Saber, umm… I'm not too sure if you're right about this. Just look at the kid, he couldn't even harm a fly. If anything, I look like I'm more likely to do something reckless".

"Walking into this building was pretty reckless!" she said in an irritated tone, but it was hard to take her serious due to her whispering it.

"You're not going to let that go, are you?"

"Monsieur, I believe that your recklessness will be the end of you if you do not yield to other's warnings. I do not approve of this behavior from my Master. But at the same time, we will not get anywhere if risks are not taken".

I chose not to respond to her and walked up to the boy at the counter. Saber immediately took a stance as if to draw a sword that wasn't there. The boy looked up at me. "Um… Hey, I'm Mahiro Ishida." As I said this, I put both of my hands on the table. He looked down at my left hand and seen the mark that was branded upon it.

"So, you're the one that Berserker was warning me about". It took me a minute to register what he had just said. I thought back to the talk that Saber and I had last night about her saying how there were seven classes of servants, and if I recall correctly, Berserker is listed among one of those seven.

"I'm not here to start any trouble I swear" I said trying to defend myself before I continued. "Honestly, I was just in the area and came around this library like I usually do. I mean… Saber did say something seemed a bit fishy here, but ya' know…" before I could finish my rambling, the boy chose to interrupt me.

"For my sempai, you're not very mature, are you? I doubt anyone of your intellect would be able to come here looking for a fight".

"See Saber, he knows… Wait what about who's intellect now?".

"Berserker, he's no threat. Lower your weapon" the boy demanded. I finally looked to the servant behind him. I couldn't really see anything, besides a body covered in armor. The helmet that this servant wore bore horns on the sides of it. It was decorated with red paint flowing across certain parts of it. The sword that Berserker lowered was a great sword, which was at least three-fourths of its height.

"So, you go to the Sakurasou middle school, or are you a first year in the high school?" I asked the boy.

"Third-year in the middle school. Yukimura Nagato. Pleasure to meet you".

"What's the point of picking a fight to begin with? Aren't masters only supposed to fight at night? Like sure this thing is vacant, but I really doubt that it would still be standing after two servants fought, no?"

He didn't respond to my barrage of questions, but responded with only a glare.

I take that he's not much of a talker either. He had a few smart remarks and an introduction, but then fell silent. It's kind of like headphones breaking right in the middle of a good song.

I began to look around the empty building with Saber standing only steps away from me. Yukimura who had just turned mute, and the walking piece of armor were standing facing the two of us. It was like a Western stand-off, and I wanted to say something along the lines of 'draw' to breaking the unnecessary tension that was before me, but that didn't seem like the right way to go about it.

"Monsieur," Saber said.

"Yeah?".

"I believe that I have seen enough of the city for the day".

Saber and I turned our backs to the competitors before us and walked away. There was no sound, just the footsteps of this strategic withdrawal. The doors slid open like they had when the two of us first walked in, and the Sun was still up. I couldn't help but feel that we had just lost our first battle, but the war has yet to be won.

* * *

At around twenty-three hundred, Saber and I walked back into "our" house. My shift from the store I worked at ended not too long ago.

We both took seats across from each other in the Living room. There was a silence between the two of us, but Saber finally spoke first.

"Monsieur, this is something that I believe I need to know. What exactly is our plan of attack?".

"What do you mean?".

"It's obvious, isn't it? If we attack someone of the red faction then we're waging a war against them, and vice versa. So, whoever we strike first we default us to who we fight alongside with."

"So, whoever we fight first, is who we end up fighting against in this war? Then why isn't that Assassin guy coming after us?"

"That is most likely due to us now being the Wildcard of this war. When he first fought us, he did so trying to prevent the Black faction from having a Saber class, but now it's different."

"How is it different?"

"It is different because, now they Red faction has a chance to have a second Saber class servant on their team. If that happens then they're going to have the better chance of winning. Why do you thing that Berserker willingly rested her blade? That Berserker is of the Red faction and they will not fight us if we do not strike first."

"I see… so you want to know what my plan is?"

"That is what I would like to know" she responded. He eyes were locked on me as her gaze didn't waver.

"Honestly, I don't know. I believe that you are biased towards the Black faction, but I don't know anything about either one. They could wish for just about anything if they are to win this war, but what if the things that they want aren't exactly good?"

"Then Monsieur, what would you wish for?"

"Honestly, I don't know. But I don't want to lose and I don't want the grail to fall into the wrong hands. So, I'm going to fight as the Wildcard in this war and win."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:** Yeah, yeah I know that this took longer than expected, but it was finished in the end and that's all that matters, right? Well, I worked hard on this chapter and I hope that you enjoyed reading it! I hope to work on this more often and publish more chapters more frequently too.

Alright, same thing as last time. I still need more characters to make these grail wars great again! Sure we might not be getting a wall, but your help would be appreciated!

Name: First/Last

Age:

Appearance:

Personality:

Occupation:

Magic:

Residence (Country they live in or be more specific if you want):

Proficient Languages:

Servant's Class:

Servant's True Name:

Just fill that out and send it to me in a PM! Once again thank you!


	3. L'enfer est Peint en Rouge

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fate/Series. All ownership goes to Type-Moon, and all other respected owners. I only own my OC's

* * *

I was in the same comforting spot that I was in every morning. Unlike the night before, the white sheets covering my mattress were no longer stained red. There's no such thing as a safe-space anymore, not even in my own home. That's all thanks to this damned war that I chose to be a part of. Probably one of the dumbest choices that I've ever made in my entire sixteen years of living on this planet. Honestly, I'm not even sure that I'm still on the same planet that I grew up on either.

The planet I grew up on was Earth, but this one that I'm on now isn't the same. Earth was a place of war, death, and suffering. Sure, these two places have a lot in common the only main difference is that this one has magic. Sure, I have heard of the concept of magic before, but never once has the possibility occurred to me that it was something real. The magic I knew consisted of illusions by people like Chris Angel, and Houdini. There were no super human beings known as servants going around fighting each other to the death in hopes to with this Holy Grail in order to have a wish granted.

I finally gathered both the energy and motivation to push myself off of my bed and walk towards the balcony. Just looking at the beauty of the rising sun reminded me of the reason why Japan was called the "Nation of the Rising Sun". "Yup," I started as I opened the sliding door and leaned on the railing. "This is definitely the same planet I grew up on."

The same breeze fluttered through my hair. I took in the moment that was right in front of me. These peaceful days that I know now won't last forever. The sounds of chirping bird and the cherry blossom peddles dancing though the wind were the beginning of the end.

"Monsieur," Saber said as she stood behind me. She made it into my room without me noticing her walk in. I didn't hear her footsteps or the sound of my door opening.

"What is it Saber?" I asked in response.

"What is it that you're doing there?"

"Lost in thought while talking in the sights."

"What is it that you were thinking about Monsieur, if you do not mind my asking?"

"Well," I started as I used simple hand gestures to signal Saber to come out to the balcony. She stood next to me with both hands firmly gripped to the railing. Her hair danced in the wind with beauty that is comparable to the cherry blossoms as her slender body glistened like the sun. "I was just thinking that these peaceful days that I know now are going to be gone soon. You said so yourself, that this is a war. It isn't something that I can run away from either."

"That is indeed true Monsieur. You are right, these peaceful days that you once knew are limited to the moments until the first conflict. That being said, I made a slalom oath to you when we first met. I promised that I would protect you. As your servant, no, as a knight I will keep those words and fight for you."

I looked at the woman who had just said that she would put her own life on the line to protect mine. She didn't look back at me, but towards the orange sun that was slowly appearing just over the horizon. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" I asked as she still stared in awe of the rising sun. She only nodded to my statement. The two of us stood at the balcony in silence watching the sun rise. It was hard to say what was more beautiful though. The beauty of the sun, or the beauty of the girl who stood next to me. I didn't want to ruin this moment by saying anything. I quietly pushed away from the railing to prop myself up, and left my room.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Saber look over her shoulder, but she turned back almost instantly. I went on to doing my daily practices: brushing my teeth, taking a shower, getting dressed, and eating breakfast. I went back to my room and saw Saber still looking at natural beauty of Japan.

I had on my button-up black blazer, and the matching dress pants. Saber looked at me with confusion. Now that I think about it, she hasn't seen me wear this before. "Monsieur, why are you dressed so formally?" she asked.

"I'm going to school. I was just letting you know that I was leaving."

"I see, then I shall go into spirit-form, and we can go." It happened within a moment's notice. Her body vanished as if the wind had carried it away. This was the sprite-thingy that she was talking about before. She wasn't lying when she said it gave her the ability to turn completely invisible. "Monsieur," she said, but it wasn't as if she was talking, but more like some form of telepathy. "I believe that I had forgot to mention this prior, but with the connection that we share, we have the ability to communicate within our thoughts."

"I see," I said in my head trying to test out his whole telepathy thing. I've only even seen something like this is anime and movies, but to think that it's possible is mind boggling. Then again, with the Holy Grail, I should really stop being surprised by these things. I'm sure that there's more that this thing can do, but I don't know right now.

Saber continued to hold little small talk about Japan while we walked to my school. There was a large group of students walking in a somewhat orderly fashion to the school's main gates. Saber followed me through the building and closely observed things around the area to get a better feel for the building and Japanese life in general.

I stopped at the opening area to switch to my indoor shoes and made my way to my class; 2-B. I took my seat and the bell ran shortly after. Our homeroom teacher walked in with the attendance book and was staring right at me. She seemed like she was in a shittier mood than usual.

"Look who decided to show up on time today," she said in an irritated tone.

"You're talking about me, aren't you?" I sighed out. She was staring daggers at me.

"Of course, Ishida after school and once club activities are over, come to the faculty-room."

I have no idea what that was about, but this whole thing seems off. Sensei never wants to talk to any students after school. It also doesn't make much sense that she wants me to come there around 18:00 either. I can't recall a time when she asked one of her students to see her at all. Then again, I can't recall a time when I came to classes on time recently either.

Sensei went on to taking attendance like a usual homeroom would go. She then went on to giving the morning announcements, but I couldn't hear a thing that she said due to Saber interrupting her.

"Monsieur, something feels off here. I can't quite put my finger on what it is. Monsieur, what is the name of this teacher of yours?"

"Saya Sasori. She's about thirty, married, but doesn't have any kids. Looking at her, you can see for yourself, that she looks like the stereotypical Japanese woman. Black hair, dull gray eyes, and isn't very tall either."

"Monsieur, I do not trust this woman in the slightest."

"Tell me about it."

It wasn't too long after that, that homeroom had ended, and Sasori-sensei had left the class. All the other classes felt like they were lasting decades at a time. By the end of first period, I swore that I was twenty-six. Just watching the clock slowed down time. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes felt like hours, and hours felt like days. But after a few of my "days" had passed, the bell singling lunch had finally rung.

I grabbed my bento and made my way towards the rooftop. It was the place that I usually ate, but that was mainly due to nobody ever being up there. I sat and leaned against a wall as I opened my bento, I was rudely interrupted by the familiar voice of a friendly-foe.

"Long time no see garcon." I looked up right in front of me, and there was the same white haired man who had tried to kill me two nights ago, but before I knew it, Saber appeared with her right hand resting on the hilt of her blade.

"Saber of Black I'm not here to fight if that's what you believe. If I wanted that garcon dead, I would have done it by now. I came here with a proposition for the boy."

"Bastard," Saber grumbled.

"Now, as I was saying garcon, I hope you are aware of the situation that's going on around you by now," he started. I nodded in clarification that I was aware of what he was talking about. "Well, then that makes this that much easier. Well kid, to put simply, you're either with us, or against us. I don't think I can make it any clearer than that."

"Assassin, you're referring the whole Red and Black faction thing, aren't you?" I asked

"Boy, this is why I like you. You seem grasp situations quickly. So, what are you going to do?" he asked.

I looked back and forth between Saber and Assassin. Assassin seemed to be relaxed with his hands resting in is coat's pockets and he looked as if he really didn't care much for what was going on. Saber on the other hand, looked tense. She hasn't moved from the stance where she could easily draw her rapier. Not only that but she was gritting her teeth at the mere sight of Assassin.

"Assassin, I don't really know what it is that I want to do yet. Plus, I'm not alone. The choice isn't just for me to decide. Saber and I are a team. So, I believe that she should also have a say in this choice too."

"Tch," Assassin said right before he began to talk. "Garcon, I'm going to say this now, the patience of the higher-ups won't last much longer. If you keep things at this pace, you're going to be the world's enemy." He turned his back to my as he took his first step away. "One more piece of advice garcon, stop thinking as us servants as people. We're nothing more than tools for our masters to use."

"Bastard," I mumbled. "Take that back right now!"

Saber immediately lost both her tense look and atmosphere upon hearing my words. She looked towards me with a flustered face. It wasn't just Saber who looked at me, but Assassin too. He turned his head as to look over his shoulder.

"Oh, why should I? Saber used to be alive, but she died long ago. Now she's nothing more than a powerful weapon to be used at your disposal. That makes her a tool, doesn't it?"

"I know Saber's strong. I'm aware that even if I trained for millions no, billions of years that I'd never be able to compete with her. But she's still a human! When I first saw you two fight, I swore that you were monsters from another planet, but you guys bleed, you feel, and you think for yourself too. Isn't that what it means to be human? I know that I'll never be able to protect Saber when it comes to combat. Honestly, I know that I'll just get in her way when it comes down to fighting," I said turning my head away as not to face those standing in front of me. "But," I said turning back to face Assassin and throwing my right arm to the side. "Even with that being said, Saber is not a tool that I can just use and throw away when it's all over. She's my partner in this damn war!"

"Geez," Assassin said rubbing the back of his head. "It would have made my time here a hell of a lot easier if my master thought the same way as you, garcon. I'll be taking my leave now."

It was just like that and he vanished like Saber had this morning. I sighed in relief as Assassin had disappeared from the rooftop, and turned towards the flustered Saber. "Monsieur, your words just then were really kind," she said in a cutesy tone. I couldn't help looking like a tomato with albino leaves on top. "I must say, I am lucky to have a master who's as kind as you. Monsieur, I will make sure that grail is in your hands at the end of this war."

I couldn't respond to her. The look in her eyes turned me into a statue. For all I know, the hero who's in front of me could very well be Medusa herself. With eyes like Saber's, anyone would be paralyzed. Just moments later the bell rang ending the lunch period. Saved by the bell is the right phrase to define this situation.

"Saber I have to go back to class now." It appears she got the picture as she vanished with the wind once more. I made my way back to class through the corridors of the school. I took my seat once more and braced myself for the lectures to come.

* * *

The bell finally rang that ended the school day for all the students. I sat in silence waiting for them all to disperse around the campus to either go home, or to their club activities. Within the span of minutes, class 2-B became as empty as a Blockbuster Video store. Well… if they were still around anyways. I sat pondering within my own thought as I waited hours just to head towards the faculty-room. The hallways were just as vacant too. I was maneuvering through them with ease to reach the faculty-room.

The door slid open with ease. There was not a squeaking noise that followed its opening like the one in class 2-B. The first step that I took in that room sent shivers down my spine. In the far back corner of the room there were two figures sitting there. The blinds were down, and the room was dark.

"Monsieur, it's not safe in there. Run now," Saber warned, but her warning came too late.

"Ishida, thanks for coming," Sasori-sensei said as she saw me standing at the door. I couldn't run anywhere now. I had no choice so, I slightly bowed as I entered the room that looked as though it was hit with a blackout. As I placed my foot down in the room, the sound of splashing in a puddle was made. Both of my feet were planted in this puddle, as the door slammed shut behind me.

"!"

"Ishida, I'm sure you know of my husband, right? Saitoshi Sasori. He's been wanting to meet you over the past couple days."

"Assassin, turn on the lights," the deep voice of a man demanded. The lights flickered a few times just before they turned on. The man had straight black hair that was cut clean, as his bangs stopped just above his forehead. He and his wife both shared the same dull gray eyes. He looked fairly built-up wearing what seemed to be a traditional business-suit, as well as dress shoes to match. Just looking at him while he was sitting down, it was easy to tell that he had to be at least six feet tall. "Mahiro Ishida, Assassin has told me quite a bit about you during your first meeting. Now, please have that Saber of yours come out of its spirit-form. There's absolutely no point on hiding it while there are no civilians around."

"What do you mean no civilians?" I finally directed my gaze towards my feet and the puddle I had stepped in. The floor was painted with a dark crimson red. An iron stench lingered in the air. The bodies of the entire school staff were piled on top of one another, each with their heads severed. "You fucking monsters!"

"Say as you will, but all is fair in times of war," the man nonchalantly said as he shrugged his shoulders. "Ishida, you will either join the Red faction, or you will suffer the same fate as your teachers."

I looked around the entire room, but it seemed more as if the room was spinning around me. Leaning on the was Assassin, holding his signature ax-sword. The steel on the blade was stained with the blood of the teachers as his master along with his master's wife calmly sat in the back not caring about the innocent lives that they had taken from the world.

"So, you're telling me to you sadistic fucks or die?"

"Those are the options that I have given you, yes."

"Then, I'm going to choose 'or'."

"Death it is," the man said as he snapped his fingers.

"Saber!" I called out at that very instant. She seemed like she had already been prepared for this fight to begin with. I glanced over my shoulder and a rapier locked with an ax-sword as sparks were flying from both blades. If the blood on the floor had been gasoline everyone in this room right now would have been burnt alive.

This room that could only be called Hell, held five people captive in it. The only sounds that echoed throughout the entire room was the sound of steel-on-steel. The Sasori's haven't moved from their seats as I was frozen in place just like before.

"Garcon, what did I tell you?" Assassin said as he and Saber were colliding at a speed close to sound. "I told you that they weren't willing to wait long for you to answer," he added.

"Assassin, that's enough out of you," his master commanded.

At that very moment, time had seemed as though it stopped. Hell, had stopped spinning around me, the blades stayed locked in the same place, and there wasn't a single sound to be heard.

"What should I do?" I thought. "Saber and Assassin are fighting in a room where there isn't much room for them to go. A servant's lifeline lies within their master, but… There's no way that I could possibly kill someone, right? At the same time, they're after my life too. What the hell should I do?!"

The sounds began to ring once more, but they weren't the ringing of a bell. It was the ringing that had only stopped moments prior, had started right back up. Assassin's master: Saitoshi, was still sitting in that same chair with his wife. He sat with a devilish smirk as he rubbed his hands together like some kind of villain from a kid's cartoon. He had been staring at me this entire time like he was watching the life drain out of my eyes. "This was your plan the entire time, wasn't it?" I asked. He didn't move a muscle, or say a word, but it didn't stop me from my rant. "You killed these people just for one of your fucked-up schemes. You want me to die mentally before you try killing me? You're nothing more than a fucking monster," I said before he interrupted me.

"Oh, so you're calling someone who's a soldier in this war a monster? In war, there will always be civilian causalities, there's no way out of it. The grail is worth more than all of their lives. They should consider themselves lucky that they got to die for something as important as the Holy Grail."

The screeching sounds of the clashing swords couldn't lay a dent in the words this man had shot out of his mouth. They echoed louder than anything I've ever heard before. "Just like I said, you're a fucking monster. To think that people like you try to bare the title of human disgusts me. I'm going to make you regret the day that you drew your first breath," I said looking down at the blood of my teachers and clenching my fists. "Saber!" I yelled. I glanced at her over my shoulder and she only nodded.

The blades that had be locked, severed in an instant. Assassin's guard had been broken, but it was followed by a front kick from Saber. Assassin's body went flying through the door that had been broken from the sheer force of Saber's kick.

Saber stood at the door-less entrance of the Faculty-Room, I mean Hell in a box, as she looked down upon Assassin. It was clear as day who had the advantage in this battle. She stood looking down on Assassin who was sitting in the rubble. I followed only steps behind her as she left the room. The steps that were taken outside of "Hell", were steps that were fill with blood. The hallway right outside of that room looked as though ketchup packet had exploded and then smeared all over the floor.

"Assassin, stand before I smite you here and now," Saber demanded of him. Grabbing the hilt of the sword as the blade was pushed towards the ground, the somewhat injured Assassin pushed himself up onto his feet. His sword, now readied, was angled at about forty-five degrees as he held it with one hand.

The hallway that we were stand in was completely straight. There were multiple major differences that could be seen just by looking at the two fight before my eyes. The clearest of them all was technique. Just from watching the way Saber moved, I learned that swordplay was its own form of art. It took mastery of the weapon to pull off certain stunts with the blade.

Looking at Saber, her technique with a rapier stood out above all else. It was easy to see that she dedicated her entire life to her art and trained until she reached the point of mastery. Each strike she made against Assassin had its own meaning, even if Assassin parried it. With each strike, the blade danced through the air with utmost beauty. It was truly the art of fencing at its finest.

On the other hand, there was Assassin. Though his strikes were accurate and precise, they lacked the beauty that was only found in the art of a master swordsman. His swordplay was sloppy, but that's one of the reasons that he wasn't of the Saber class. He knew all the vital spots on the body, and that's where most of the strikes that I could make out were directed towards.

In the position that the two were in now Saber had an even larger advantage than before. It looked as though they were in the middle of a fencing match. Saber angled her rapier to face Assassin. Her body was turned towards me as her back faced the frames that once held windows. Each step crackled as the shards of glass rubbed against their boots.

Each strike of Assassin's was deflected away from Saber only to cut the air that was around her. Frustration grew on the usual calm face of Assassin as Saber kept the battle at her own pace.

I was too busy looking at the battle between the two heroes to notice the threat that I had to face. "Ishida, did you forget about me?" The stern voice of Assassin's master asked before pulling me to the blood bath on the ground.

"Monsieur!" Saber pleaded as she turned her attention away from Assassin and towards me.

"Saber, did you forget that I'm the one you're fighting," Assassin called out just before he struck Saber with a spinning back-kick.

"Ugh!" Saber cried as she tumbled towards the ground.

I could catch a glimpse of my blood-soaked bangs as I was lying on the ground. The blood wasn't even my own, at least I believe that it isn't. Saitoshi walked towards me as I lied on the ground helpless. When he asked if I forgot about him, in all honesty, I did. Before he was mounted on me, I managed to stagger on all fours, just to get a nice 'Good Evening,' from his boot. "Gah," I coughed out in agony as it contacted my stomach.

That kick had sent me against the fiery walls of Hell. It was as though I had just washed ashore on the beach from being lost at sea. I'm in pain in covered in blood, most of it not even my own. Saitoshi began to close the little distance between us. Through the corner of my eye, I could vaguely make out a flash that began to travel closer to the school.

* * *

 **[Ten minutes prior to the events at the school.**

 **Location: Rooftop, 10 Km away from the school]**

The sun finally set and gave rise to the moon. To many it was a signal to night, but to the masters, it was a declaration of war given to them by the world. The peaceful days that these selected few once had vanished in the blink of an eye.

"Archer," a shady figure in a hooded black coat with a matching knee-high skirt said in a female's voice. She and the one known as Archer sat at the edge of a rooftop distant to Sakurasou high school. She sat with her feet dangling off the edge of the building that probably wasn't open to public access. She held binoculars to her face to get a decent view of the battle that was taking place not too far away from them. She pulled them away and looked towards the tall, muscular, tanned, white-haired man, who was wearing black and draped in a red cloak.

"What is it, Master?"

"You're seeing this too, right?"

"Of course, The Archer class has the Hawk Eye ability, didn't you know that?"

"I did, I was just making sure that you were seeing this too."

"Should we intervene?" Archer asked as his master was closely watching the battle unfold before her eyes.

"No, not yet. Saber's holding her own just fine. If anything, she looks like she's just toying with Assassin of Red. I want to see what her Master does though."

"One of your strategies again?" Archer waved off.

"You could call it that."

"You know, you're quite the two-faced person master," Archer said teasing his master, but not looking away from the battle. "Why is Saber's master just standing there?"

"I don't know. He's just watching the Saber and Assassin fight. He's turned his back to the enemy master."

"Idiot," Archer said as he watched Assassin's master take down Saber's. "Your order's master," Archer said as a bow appeared within his hands out of thin air.

"I hate to admit it, but Saber is a valuable asset to us so, we can't have her master dying on our watch. I don't think that the higher-ups would be too fond if they found that out. Plus, I think Eliza would be pretty pissed if she found out that we lost Saber so early in the war. Archer, fire when ready," his master ordered.

Archer began to pull back on the string of the bow after he aimed at the unsuspecting Assassin. His long red cloak followed the wind as focused his aim, measuring the wind and the distance before settling. In his hand was not an arrow and at first appeared as a lance, but thinned out to form more of an arrow-like shape as Archer settled it on his black-bow. Archer chanted softly unknown words before he let the arrow fly.

A strong gust of wind followed the release of the arrow. It pushed the hood off the girl who had been wearing it. Her long white hair fluttered as the wind pushed it back. "Well Saber, the rest is up to you," she said as she got up and walked away with Archer.

* * *

 **[Mahiro's POV]**

My blood-soaked hands rested on the floor as the light had begun to travel closed and closer to us. All muscles in my legs shut down as I was gripped up by Saitoshi. He wife who used to be my teacher just sat there in complete silence. It's hard to believe that she's human watching this all happen. She seen all her co-workers killed by the order her husband gave. Now, she's watching as her own student is being gripped up by her husband and about to be beaten to death.

"What happened to all of that talk you had earlier? You made it out like you were going to kill me." Saitoshi said as he laughed. I couldn't respond to him. The words just wouldn't come out. It was as if I was just clinging to my will to live by mere threads.

I could see Saber fighting with Assassin from where I was at either. I know they were still going at it due to the still constant sounds of their swords clashing together.

The light began to grown even closer. It was to the point where I thought God was welcoming me to his kingdom above. I put all my strength into reaching my hand out trying to grasp the light that drew closer and closer. My world began to dull into a black.

* * *

I opened my eyes and everything around me was black. There was no light source or anything to help me see. It was like a night without the moon. "Are you giving up?" a familiar voice echoed.

"No, I'm just accepting that I can't win," I said back.

"So, you are giving up. You're saying everything that Saber has done for you so far is what, a joke?"

"What else can I do? I'm not strong enough to win as I am right now."

"So, you're saying that the Grail choosing you to fight is what, a mistake?"

"I guess that's what I'd have to call it."

"Then just look in front of you," the voice said as Saber fighting Assassin appeared on a screen-like platform. "Saber hasn't given up. She still believes in you. She still thinks that you as her master are going to win this whole Grail War," he said, but my attention was drawn towards the clashing of swords that was displayed at an insane speed right before my eyes.

"T-that's not it…" I muttered.

"Then, what is it?"

"There's no way that Saber can watch me and fight an enemy servant. I couldn't defend myself at all without a weapon. I can't even use magic!"

"You complain about this game, yet you claim that you have given up. Saber found you and made you her master. Rise and own up to it! If she believes in you, you could return the favor and do the same!"

It felt as though I had just been smacked by this invisible force. It wasn't as if it was meant to inflict harm to me, but a way to snap my back to my senses. "Now go! You have a war to win!"

* * *

I opened my eyes and could still see the light dawn upon the building. But moments after I opened my eyes, it disappeared. A cry of pain followed its disappearance. But it was the melody of Saber's voice, but Assassin's. It was hard to hear due to the sound of the building breaking, and all the glass shattering, but it was there.

Saitoshi turned his head and let go of his grip on me as he heard it too. The puddles of blood splashed around from not only me falling, but the constant shaking of the building form the light hitting it.

My old teacher's body had fallen to the floor. "Did she just die from shock?" I thought.

Her husband only stared at the doors as the sounds of crackling steps grew louder as they drew closer. Saber stood at the entrance of the to the Hell-room as she had blood splatter over her outfit with droplets of it on her face. She rested her rapier as she walked towards Saitoshi and I. She stopped at a distance no greater than a foot apart from Saitoshi.

"Assassin has been slain, but not by my hands," she started as she looked up towards the man who had just recently tried to kill me. "You are now without a servant, under normal circumstances, I would have let you go. You not only ordered Assassin to kill all those innocent people, but you also attempted to take my master's life," she added. The emotion in her eyes seemed to slowly drain away as she had thrust her rapier into the heart of Saitoshi. The tip of the blade penetrated one side of the body, and came out of the other. "For that you must pay with your life," Saber stated as she pulled out the rapier and flicked the blood off it. The blade was then rested in the sheath on her left side.

Saitoshi fell to his knees as the building began to shake once more. It wasn't too much longer until his body collapsed to the ground.

Saber approached me with a forced smile while offering me her hand. I grabbed it without hesitation or a word. She grabbed me and carried me like a princess as the Sakurasou collapsed behind us while we made out exit. Saber jumped at a height that made it feel as though we could touch the moon. The sound of police and fire department sirens echoed as we made our escape.

She carried me from rooftop-to-rooftop. Until we landed at the front door of my apartment. I reeked of blood just as my room did when Saber and I first met only nights ago, my hair looked as if I had dyed it a shade of red that I didn't even know existed. I took off my blood-stained school slippers and threw them way the first moment I could.

Saber and I walked into my apartment without a word said between us. I rushed into the shower. My mind was completely blank from what I had just been through. Seeing the dead bodies of the people who taught me the times that I chose to show up. The school I went to had collapsed. "Dammit," I yelled as I pounded the shower wall. "I couldn't do anything!" I looked down at the shower floor as I couldn't even bare to raise my head to what I seen. The blood that stained me became a diluted pinkish color as it fell to the floor.

It was almost an hour later that I left the shower. I just put on anything as I made my way back to the living area of the apartment where Saber was sitting. I sat across from her. The silence between didn't seem as though it would lift unless I intervened with it.

"Saber, how did he die?" I asked not willing to look up at her.

"He was struck by an arrow and died moments later."

"Did he have any last words?"

"Yes, he said, 'Garcon, what did I tell ya'? I wasn't lying when I said I was a professional at taking heads,'." Saber said quoting the now dead Assassin of Red. I couldn't help, but force a smile at his sadistic joke that were his last words.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Well, here-and-there, I've been getting more and more involved in writing more often. Not only that but I've been full of ideas recently of what I want to do moving forward with Le Quinzième. So, going on off of that, I have a fairly decent plan on what I want to happen within the next few chapters.**

 **That's enough about Le Quinzième... well, not really. So updating for this is gonna be at least once a month! Well, I'll try to make it that. Maybe twice if I'm feeling it. Also, what do you guys think of me releasing the Master/Servant Bios in the near future? Let me know in the reviews or something.**

 **So, Assassin of Red was killed off , but it had to happen. What better way to spark the war than a death? That's how World War I started and well... it was a war.**

 **Alright! So, I hope you the reader enjoyed Chapter 3 of Le Quinzième and that you'll stay and continue to read as more and more come out. Please, tell me your thoughts! I'm always open to ways that I can improve my writing!**


	4. Le Lisianthus et le Lys

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fate/Series. All ownership goes to Type-Moon, and all other respected owners. I only own my OC's**

* * *

 **[London, England]**

The sun was high above the line of horizon as it glared down upon the city of London. The streets were their usual busy selves and the days there seemed to be peaceful. The chiming of the Clock Tower echoed throughout the city.

This Clock Tower was a beautiful piece of architecture that a lone man stood admiring the beauty of his home city. The sounds people laughing and cheering. The sounds of the nearby waters flowing. The sights of The London Eye spin. Everything about this city fit the exact definition of beauty in his eyes.

The man looked as if he was a professional. His hair was cleanly cut as it was slicked back to give him a mature atmosphere. It didn't waver within the afternoon breeze. His navy-blue suit had slight wrinkles and creases as he was bent looking upon the city.

"Uncle," the voice of a little girl echoed as tiny footsteps echoed throughout the corridors of the Tower. "Poo-Poo head is here and he said that he has something to tell you. He said it was important," she said as she twirled around her uncle. Her short blond hair and purple blouse danced in the wind as her frail looking, but sturdy body held her balance.

"Better be good," the man said as the girl grabbed him by the hand. On the back of their hands were red marks. Similar at first glance, but their designs differed. The girl dragged the man around the halls leading him to a room where there was a frail and short looking boy with his hair tied in a ponytail and glasses. He was shorter for his age even though he was Japanese and didn't look as if he had much muscle to him either. He wore clothes that didn't look as professional, but more like street clothing.

The man and the girl took a seat next to each other on a sofa. The room had a fancy design to it. It looked as though it was an office of some sort. The man sat facing the boy with only a coffee table separating the two of them. The girl sat quietly next to her uncle and kicked her legs in a rhythmic form as the two began to talk.

"Sir, I come baring news," the boy said in clear English. The man stared at the boy bracing for the worst.

"Yuki, what is it? Must have been something if you felt the need to fly back from Japan without any formal notice."

"Mr. Taylor, it seems as though Assassin of Red has been eliminated from the conflict."

"As for his master?" Mr. Taylor asked in a stern tone. He didn't seem too upset or worried about what had happened to one of his "Team Mates".

"Saitoshi Sasori has be eliminated as well," Yuki replied without lifting his head. His glasses looked as though they were about to slip off his face as they slid further away from his eyes and closer to the floor.

"So, how did this happen?"

"Saber of Black," he replied as he fixed his glasses.

"So, Saitoshi failed his mission to take Saber of Black out before the conflict escalated?"

"I wouldn't exactly say that," Yuki said as he rubbed his index finger up and down his cheek. The man's gaze didn't waver as he still stared at Yuki. "From what Saitoshi told me before he died, the Grail picked a replacement master and Saber of Black formed a contract with him before her mana was depleted completely. Assassin did however successfully kill Harper Yggdmillennia. We didn't calculate the possibility of the possible replacement master being so close to where Saber of Black was though."

"So, the head of the Black Faction has been taken down, but not his servant. I suppose that his life wasn't a complete waste."

"I-I suppose," Yuki said back to the man.

"Tell me about this new Master. I suppose you could call him the fifteenth master in this war."

"R-right! His name is Mahiro Ishida. He's sixteen and just a high school student at the same place that I was attending while I was living in Japan. As far as I could tell, there is very little known about him. He lives on his own and there's no evidence that he's a mage. It doesn't make sense why the grail would choose him," Yuki rhetorically said.

"It is indeed odd that the grail would pick him, isn't it? About Assassin," the man said. He looked towards the girl who was sitting next to him. "Elizabeth," he said as he put on a friendly face. "Why don't you and Saber go out and play," he suggested as a purple haired man appeared. His hair was spiked and pushed to the side where his forehead was in clear view. He wore purple and gold armor that clanked every time that he had moved.

Saber knelled to eye level of the girl as he offered her his hand. He was a man who saw chivalry as basic unit of life. This man was a knight when he was once living. Elizabeth gave a childish expression as she stuck her tong at Yuki as she and Saber left the room. She wore a smile as she looked up to the purple haired Saber. The door to the room soon shut behind the two and the clanking of the armor became inaudible.

"Back to the topic at hand," The man said as he looked back at Yuki. "Mahiro Ishida you said?"

"Y-yes," Yuki stuttered.

"So, I assume he sided with the Black Faction, did he not?"

"Correct," Yuki immediately answered. The room fell silent as Mr. Taylor sat and wandered through his thoughts. He couldn't help but be intrigued by this new unknown master that now controlled one of the strongest servants in the war. He wanted him, but most of all, he wanted to know why the grail would choose someone like him. "So, Mr. Taylor you wanted to know about what happened to Assassin?" Yuki asked breaking the silence along with the older man's chain of thought. The man only responded with a nod. "Berserker and I watched from a distance, but we were able to see the whole thing. It took place in at Sakurasou. Saber of Black and Assassin were going at it destroying the school as they were fighting. Her master on the other hand just stood there and was about to be killed by Sasori," he said before he paused.

"Then what happened?"

"R-right. Well I couldn't see where it was fired form, but it had to be Archer of Black who did it."

"Did what?"

"Archer dealt the fatal strike on Assassin. It shook the school and soon lead to its collapse. Saber was the one who killed Sasori."

"Why didn't you intervene? Assassin along with Berserker would have easily been able to take down Saber and her master."

"About that… Well, we didn't see a need to do so. We didn't sense Archer's presence so he had to be further away from them. So, if we went out in the open after that, Archer might have taken us down as well."

"There's nothing more that we can do about this," Mr. Taylor said as he got out of the sofa that he was sitting on. He turned to the door and mumbled the name of the fifteenth master in this Holy Grail War as he left the room.

* * *

 **[Mahiro's POV**

 **Dream]**

The constant beeping of a heart monitor echoed through the room. I sat on a stool staring at a white-haired woman as she looked out into the world while she was trapped within a room. The muscle on her seemed to have dried up as she looked out of the open window. Her malnourished state made her look as frail as she did.

Stabbed within her arm, was an IV that had consistently been dropping s clear liquid into her system.

A breeze found its way into the room as her hair danced with its flowing force. She broke the silence between us. "Mahiro," she started as she looked back towards me. The rest of her words were trapped within and couldn't escape through her mouth. Even though she didn't say it, I knew what she meant. I didn't want to admit that to her so I stayed quiet.

"Mom, when do you think we can do outside again?" I asked the woman who looked young despite her age. It was hard to tell due to the state she was in, but when she was healthy, she looked to be in her early twenties.

"Soon," she responded. Childhood naivety was something that I could only wish for, but I'm not stupid. As a child, I could even see through her weary lies. Her once bright red eyes seemed to dull as the days passed by. "Mahiro, what type of man do you want to be when you're older?"

Her question caught me off guard as I tilted my head in confusion. The answer didn't come to me right away, but I had a decent idea of what it was. "I want to be the type of man that can have every single person I care about look forward because, they know that I'm standing right behind them to watch their backs," I said. She responded with a smile and began to lay back down on her hospital bed.

"I'm glad," she said as she got comfortable. The beeping of the monitor slowly began to stop. A long beep echoed from the monitor as nurses and doctors began to flood the room. That promise to go outside "soon," never came.

* * *

 **[Mahiro's POV**

 **The Morning After Assassin's Death]**

"It was that dream again," I mumbled as I rolled around in my bed. Stars seemed to be dancing on the ceiling of my room. Either that or I wasn't awake just yet. My arms felt like boulders as I lifted them to my face to rub my eyes.

My attempt to look at the sunrise like I had the night before didn't have the same effect on my morning like it had my previous one. After seeing Hell for the first time, I don't think there's anything that could heal a wound that deep overnight. Just them memory of yesterday made me want to vomit everything that was left in my system. I turned to walk back into my room as Saber appeared from thin air. "Monsieur," she said looking at me. I only slightly turned my head to look at the blond woman wearing an eighteenth century European hat. "Are you ok?" she asked concerned.

"Am I ok?" I repeated as I forced a laugh. "How the hell could I be fine after what I seen yesterday?! Seeing someone die right in front of me and you're asking if I'm 'ok'?! What person in their right mind would be after seeing that?! Not even just one person die, but a pile of dead bodies with a room painted in their blood! There's no fucking way that I'd be okay. I don't want to see people die! I want to quit!"

Saber pointed to the seals that were branded upon my hand in a dark-red. "If that's how you truly feel then use all three of your Command Seals to sever the pact between us," she said as she looked at me. I don't understand how Saber can be this calm after seeing the same things that I seen yesterday. I don't get it at all! But I couldn't look away from the marks branded to my hand that kept this bond between us.

"What happens to you if I use them all?"

"In a matter of hours, I will run out of mana and disappear from this world," she said nonchalantly. How can she be this calm after all of this. She's telling me how to get out of this war and leave this whole thing behind me. She'll lose her only shot to win the grail if I do this, so why? I clenched my fists as I looked back and forth between Saber and my hand. I subconsciously was grinding my teeth together.

"I can't do that," I said as I focused my gaze on Saber. The fists I had made loosened to an open palm as I continued to speak. "If I do, then there's people who are probably going to die because I couldn't do anything to protect them." Honestly, that's only half of the truth. In reality, I don't want to leave Saber. But I can't exactly find the right words to say to her.

"Well then, Monsieur, I do not blame you for thinking like that. Honestly, I expected it. You aren't used to the horrors of the battle field yet. That is probably the worst that it can get as you seen yesterday. Blood of the people you know is the worst sight in war. So," She said as she turned to face the rising sun. The light glimmered through the window. It was like the sight of a play where Saber had the leading role. The spotlight was on her as she spoke her next lines. "You're not alone when facing enemies. I'll be right there with you to fend them off." She finished her lines as she looked back at me with a smile that looked real, but I could on view it as fake.

'When did she become so cool?' I thought to myself as I stared at the woman playing the leading role. In this play I'm not too sure if I'm the princess in distress or the tree in the background. Saber must be the hero of this story. But the words I said in my dream popped back into my head, 'I want to be the type of man that can have every single person I care about look forward because, they know that I'm standing right behind them to watch their backs.'

Useless, that's what I am. Helpless, that's what I am. Weak, that's what I am. I clenched my hands together to the point where I thought my fingers were going to burst through my hands. I couldn't look up at the person playing the leading role. Being a side character doesn't give me the right to do that. "Saber," I started until I was interrupted by the ringing of my doorbell. Saved by the bell is the best way to describe this.

Saber quickly looked towards the door with blood-lust. "Monsieur, it's another Servant!" She declared as she quickly pulled her rapier from its sheath. The sun reflected from the blade as it flashed in my eyes. I was forced to squint to even see what was in front of me.

"Damn, I don't get a single day off, do I?" The doorbell kept on ringing as I didn't more. I could only hear the echo of a female's voice from just behind the door. Saber's face was both shocked and relived from hearing the same voice I did.

"Oi," the voice first called out in an Irish accent. "Ma-hir-o I-shida?" she called out but she said it in a way that sounded more like a question than saying my name. It was clear that she didn't understand a lick of Japanese. Her pronunciation was completely off while attempting to say my name. "This is where you live, right?" she said in English. I wasn't completely sure what that meant when she said that until I broke everything down in the span of seconds.

Saber gently slipped the blade back into its sheath as she made her way towards the door. The door creaked open as a lone girl dressed in white stood there. Just looking at her, she looked too girly and fragile to even be in this mess. She wore a pure white button up shirt with a matching white skirt that was rather long as it reached just below her knees. Even her heels were white as she gained about an extra inch from them. This all went together with her long white hair and amber colored eyes. "Cynthia," Saber said as she looked at the girl standing at the door.

"Saber, long time no see," she said as she invited herself in.

"Indeed. Is Archer with you?" Saber asked. I couldn't really understand what they were talking about. Words were coming out of their mouths but it only sounded like gibberish to me. Like if little kids came up with a secret language that only their group of friends knew.

"I am," a man's voice said as a tanned man with slicked back and messy white hair said. He was taller than me and was more muscular than me too. He wore a black outfit with a red overcoat-like thing on.

"Once again, I'm lost," I mumbled. I left the doorway and went to the living room. I heard the door shut and the three-people walked into the room. To my surprise, Cynthia knew to take her shoes off before entering one's home. Her servant looked kind of Japanese or of Asian origin so that might be why. Saber sat next to me as Archer and Cynthia sat across from us. Cynthia sat properly as Archer seemed to be a little too comfortable sitting in someone else's home.

Saber began to speak in the language that I could understand. She went on to telling me everything. She said that these were the people that saved us yesterday. That man named Archer was the one who dealt the finishing blow on Assassin while I was sitting on death's doorsteps. Luckily, Assassin and Saitoshi traded places with me. She then said that they came to Japan to meet up with Harper and Saber, but Assassin seemed to get to them first. So, their goal now was to get in contact with me and take me to the rest of the Black faction.

"Thank you," I said in English as I got up and slightly bowed to both Archer and Cynthia. My vocabulary in English wasn't the broadest, but I knew enough to say that. People in Japan even use it sometimes too. Archer didn't care too much about it, but Cynthia seemed to be a bit flustered.

"It's not a b-big deal. It's not like I did it for you or anything. So, don't get the wrong idea. I-it's just that Eliza would be mad if I wasn't able to at least bring Saber back," She said as she made a fist and lightly hammered it down on her palm. "Y-yeah, that's why I did it."

I tilted my head in confusion as I looked at the two stand right in front of me. "Sorry, I do not understand," I said in broken up English.

Archer began to speak, clarifying what his master had just said. He spoke fluently like Saber, but the way he sounded was more of a native dialect. 'He's definitely why she took her heels off at the door,' I thought after hearing the man speak.

Cynthia began to walk towards me with a slip of paper in her hand. It was a thin slip of paper that she held right in front of me. It was a plane ticket with my name on it. Not the saying, but it actually had "Mahiro Ishida" printed on it. She then reached in for something else too. It was a Japanese passport. My jaw dropped at the sight of this.

I snatched the booklet from her hand and flipped it oven to the first page. It had all my information filled out on one page along with a picture of me. The Black faction has the resources to pull off something of this caliber in just the span of a couple days. I'm pretty sure that making a passport for someone else is illegal too, "I-is this fake?" I stuttered out. I looked towards Archer as he shook his head back-and-forth putting my worries to rest. I then grabbed the ticket and began to examine that too. "This say that the plane is going to Romania?!"

"Where else would it go Monsieur?" Saber asked tilting her head. "The Black faction's base of operation is in Transylvania which is in Romania. So, that's why it's going there."

"Yeah, thanks for the tip," I sighed out.

"Well Monsieur, looks as though you should pack some of your belongings before you head out. According to that ticket, your plane leaves tonight."

"Ehhhhhh!"

I quickly ran back to my room and grabbed a duffel bag that I had found just laying around. I ran around like a mad man trying to find clothes that I should take. "I have no clue what it's like in Romania!" I yelled to myself. "I don't know what the weather is like there or anything. "Monsieur," Saber said as she stood at the doorway stopping me in the middle of my rampage through my room. I quickly turned my head to look at her. "It should be spring there too so, just bring what you'd wear here to there." Her words put me at ease. I looked around for some of my casual clothes and managed to find the usual outfit that I'd wear. My black and white zip-up hoodie with matching black track pants.

Saber was looking around my room helping me find clothes. She was trying to shuffle through my closet trying to find clothes until she got distracted by the bouncing of a dark-orange ball with multiple black lines going around it.

"Monsieur, what's this?" she asked as she held the ball.

"A basketball," I responded in confusion. "Doesn't the grail give you information?"

"It does, but it gives us what we need to know. I know of it, but I've never seen one."

"Well, that's a basketball then," I said as I turned away still looking for clothes trying to steer away from this conversation. As my luck would have it, Saber chose to look pry even deeper into it.

"Why do you have one?"

I looked back over with a forced smile. "No reason, I just have one."

I said this hoping to put this conversation to rest, but Saber seems to be able to read me like an open book as she mumbled ,"Liar." It was so quiet that it was almost inaudible. "Monsieur, what's the real reason. I am your servant and we share a bond, do we not? So, I believe that I should be allowed to know trivial things such as this. The easiest way to understand someone is by knowing what they like," she retorted. She isn't wrong though. By knowing what someone likes it does make it easier to make conversation with them.

"Fine," I said as I finally give in to Saber's demands. "I played basketball for Sakurasou."

"Played? As in past-tense? Why did you stop?"

"Well, work kind of got in the way of club activities so, it was hard to manage both. If I chose to do one, then it was impossible for me to do the other. If I could I would, but I kinda need money for expenses since my mother's savings dried out."

"I see, so does that mean that you still like basketball?"

"I don't believe that 'like' is the right word for how I feel about it. Honestly, I love it," I said with a passionate smile.

"Monsieur, you should smile like that more often," she said as she graced me with one of her own. It wasn't too long after that, that we finished packing anything that could fit in the duffel bag. Saber and I walked out of the room but Saber spoke before the door closed. "Monsieur, there is something that I would like to do. Would you mind giving me a moment?"

"Sure," I said as I nodded. Saber pranced back into the room as the door shut behind her. Within minutes, she emerged from the door, but this time was different. She was wearing the girls uniform that I let her wear when we went around the city. She also had that ball in her hands grasped tightly to her chest. Not just that but she wasn't wearing her hat nor her normal ponytail. Her hair fell to her lower back as she walked towards me.

"Monsieur, since the day is still young, and we have time until we depart to Romania, I thought that this would be something to do," she said as she looked at me like a high school would if they were talking to their crush. I nodded not even noticing the words that she was saying. She grabbed my hand and led me through my own home. "We shall be back," she called out to our guests. "Please make yourself at home while we are away," she said like she owned the place.

She lead me through the neighborhood. It was surprising. She led me through the entire neighborhood like she had an entire map of the place in front of her. We broke through the wind that the cherry blossom peddles were dancing on. She then stopped at the place that we had first met. The image of the moon shining down upon her as she offered me her hand flashed in mind just looking at the place. This park was where everything had started for me in this war. This was the place I became a master.

Saber pointed to a fenced off area that had and entrance. The area had been smoothly paved and was painted over with an ugly green along with organized white lines. There were two nets on both sides of the area standing just about ten feet in the air. "That's where you would play this game is it not?" she asked as she was pointing.

"Yeah," I said as she began to drag me there just as my mouth closed.

There was no one in the area or even in the park. Saber and I were the only ones around. This whole place was vacant as she and I stood at the half-court line. Looking at her now, it never occurred to me before just how much taller I was compared to Saber. I had to be a little over six inches taller than her.

It's kind of ironic looking at it now. She's better than me in every possible way and I look up to her for that, but now, she's looking up to me. "Monsieur," she said breaking my chain of thought. "Could you go over the rules of basketball with me before we play?" she asked. I went in to explaining the basics to her. It was more like explaining street-ball rather than basketball because, I didn't want to go into all the fouls. If I did that than we'd miss that flight that I'm forced to go on.

Saber stood at the arc as I stood at the free-throw line. The sensation in my hand as I held the ball was something that I hadn't felt in a while. The echo of the ball traveled around the vacant area as I bounced it a few times against the ground. Saber stood in awe as I bounced the ball in a rhythmic pattern. This consisted of the ball going in-between my legs and behind my back multiple times in a somewhat random, but calculated order. At a glance, it seemed like a rather simple thing to do, but at a consistent pace it wasn't as easy as it looked.

I picked the ball up after dribbling it in the pattern that I had once used when I played for Sakurasou. It was a foreign feeling doing this. Even touching the ball was something else. It was something that I loved, but I was forced to give it up. It isn't fair how this world is. There's no such thing as a middle-ground or a compromise, is there? You can either choose one or the other. "Saber," I said as I had my eyes glued to the ball. "There's something that I want to try so, I want you to try to take the from me while I'm dribbling it."

"Ok, but why?"

"You'll see," I said with a smirk as I looked at her.

Saber took a defensive stance that I had shown her just minutes ago, as she looked at me with her arms out and her legs apart. I took a few steps back were only about three meters separated the two of us.

The ball dropped to the ground and bounced right back up. Saber stepped forward the moment the ball hit the ground. In reaction to that, I repeated a pattern similar, but not quite the same as the one that I had used when I first had the ball. Her right arm reached out for the but the moment she had gotten there, the ball wasn't there as I dribbled it between my legs and began the crossover. Her center of gravity became unbalanced as she reached forward without anything there to catch her. In mere moments, she was lying on the without a scratch, but she was looking up towards me.

"Monsieur, what type of magic was that?!" she asked in excitement as she pushed herself up from the ground. I was caught off guard as she asked this question. What did she mean by what type of magic was that?

"Oh, that," I said finally realizing what she meant with her question.

"Was it some form of unknown gravity magic?"

"Wha-, no, it's not magic it's just some trick that I picked up when I played."

Saber looked up like a child amazed by the little "trick" that I had pulled off. "If it isn't magic, then what is it?" she asked slightly tilting her head.

"It's something known as ankle-breaking. In easier terms, it's a crossover where your center of gravity is off and it makes a defender fall. It's more like a trick that I picked up while I played like I said. I got good with it and that's why I was a starter for the team. But there's no magic involved with it."

"I see, one of those Parlor Tricks, is it not?"

"Something like that," I said as I looked away from her. "I want to head back before it gets too late. I have a flight to board that I didn't even ask for," I said half-jokingly.

Saber and I began to walk back to the apartment. The view of the park became more and more distant with each passing step. The peddles from the cherry blossom trees finally began to stop falling as the entire walkway was covered in their beauty. Though, their beauty could not even begin to compare to the beauty of the girl standing next to me. The leading role of our play. I can't begin to imagine anyone who could fit the lead role better than the blond maiden standing before me.

"Saber," I said breaking the silence between us. "What gave you the idea to do something like this?" She didn't answer me right away as she looked to be pondering through her beautiful mind thinking of what she wants to say.

"Ever since last night, you haven't been the same. When we first met and when you were showing me around the area, you had something charming about you. Some type of flare that made me want to follow you and fight alongside you. You were like a seed the past few days. A seed that would come to bloom with a flower known as the lisianthus, but last night after Assassin's death the seed looked as though it needed some water to bring it back to life. So, I was just watering the flowers monsieur," she said looking up at me. Her words weren't forced but carefully thought out and played like a perfect hand in poker. Her analogy didn't make too much sense to me. I don't know much about flowers

"I don't really understand though."

"Monsieur, you are the lisianthus and I am the lily. We shall bloom together with beauty as the sun pours down upon our garden of victory."

"I'll take that as you claiming victory of this war," I said as I smiled back looking at her.

"Of course," she said smiling back. "What kind of servant would I be if I couldn't claim the grail for my master."

We were only blocks away from the house as a single thought came to mind that stopped me in my tracks. "Saber," I said as she was only steps away from me. She stopped in reaction to me calling her out. I could see the corner of her eye as she peaked from just over her shoulder. "Why is it that you are willing to go this far for me, is it because I'm your master?"

"That certainly is part of it," she said just before she turned her body to face me. "But there's more to it than that," this time her face seemed to be lightly covered in a pinkish blush.

"What do you mean?"

"I-it's nothing, we should head back now. If we don't, you'll miss your flight to Romania with Cynthia," she said breaking the mood that had been set by her blush. But she was right, if we didn't hurry, we wouldn't make it on time.

* * *

 **[Transylvania, Romania**

 **Yggdmillennia Manor]**

It was only hours ago, that the flight had landed in Romania from Japan. Cynthia and I had a caddie drive us through Romania all the way to the Yggdmillennia Manor. It was roughly an hour's drive from the airport to the manor. I felt like I was a tourist instead of a soldier as I was taking in the sights of a foreign land. It felt like the school trip I once had to Thailand in middle school.

Well… that touristic feeling that I had once entering this new country only lasted as long as the ride to the manor had. As soon as I entered the manor, Cynthia had ditched me and ran off elsewhere. To add some more lemon juice to my open wound, the servant that promised to protect me disappeared and not in her spirit form either. She just left me where I stood.

"For Christ's sake," I said as I stood alone in the doorway of the manor. The sound of footsteps echoed throughout the area I was standing in. Shivers were sent down my spine as I wasn't sure what I should expect from these people that I don't even know. A shadow reflected on the wall that I was facing and soon after a woman came and filled its shape.

She was taller than Saber, but shorter than me. Her hair color was something that wasn't seen often in Japan as it was red, but I didn't have much room to talk when it came to abnormalities in hair color. Her hair rested just at her shoulders as her green eyes complimented the red color of her hair. She looked to have a slender body as she stood staring me down. If anything, she looked to be girly like Cynthia, but seeing the handle of a broad sword strapped on her back made me throw that thought away. She wore a green blouse with black jeans. The part that I thought was weirdest was how she was wearing a coat inside. I'm an exception because, I just got here so of course I'm still wearing my hoodie, but there's definitely something off with this one.

She began to walk forward as her hair fluttered back with each step she took. She stopped only inches away from me as she began to speak. "Are you the new master?" she asked in Japanese. It wasn't the most fluent that I've heard, but it wasn't as bad as Cynthia's Japanese either.

"Y-yeah," I said in fear. It all made sense to me now. The reason why Saber and Cynthia had left. They're probably scared of this woman right here. I wanted to step back and create room between the two of us, but nothing was allowing me to do that. My legs felt as if they had cinder-blocks tied to them as wouldn't work the way I wanted them to. I had no other choice but to stand tall and face the woman that made Saber want to flee.

The woman took my hand and dragged me through the manor as she lead me an underground room composed of complete stone. It kind of looked like a dungeon of some sort as she stood there looking down on me even though I was the taller one.

"Sit," she commanded. I immediately did as I was told and sat down in a traditional Japanese style form. "I've heard it all about the fight against Assassin," she said, but this time she was actually looking down on me. "From what I heard you can't defend yourself."

"I-I know that," I said shifting my gaze towards the ground. "I want to get stronger, but…"

"But what?" She said as she drew she sword from its sheath. "You're the only one who can make you stronger! You can't get unless you have a reason to!"

An image of Saber flashed across my vision. She was ten step ahead of me looking back towards me. She wasn't looking forward, but staying back to be able to protect me. "Well, what is your reason?" she demanded.

I looked back up towards the red-haired woman who held a blade in one hand. It reflected the little light that could be found in the room. "Saber," I mumbled, but she seemed to have heard me. "I want to be stronger so that Saber can look forward because, she knows that I'm standing right behind her to watch her back," I said with fire in eyes.

"That's the spirit boy," the woman said with a devilish grin looking down upon me. "Rise boy. Your training starts now and I Eliza Belmont will be the one training you!"

* * *

 **Author's Note: Well, this is December's chapter. Hopefully, I will be able to get another chapter out before the end of the month, but if I can't, please bare with me. I'm going to try to get at least one chapter out each month two if I have enough time to do so.**

 **Anyways, what did you guys think? I just thought it would be nice to have a nice chapter filled with what I hope is some character development. That's what I was aiming for anyways. I was trying to develop Saber's and Mahiro's bond a bit more as well as introduce some of the other character's that are going to be in the series.**

 **I hope that you enjoyed! Please, tell me what you thought about it in the reviews!**


	5. Noir

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fate/Series. All ownership goes to Type-Moon, and all other respected owners. I only own my OC's**

* * *

The dungeon. Well… that's at least what this place reminds me of. The cobblestone walls and floors are one aspect of this place that gives me this feeling. The fact that very little light can seep through the walls and the small openings that are blocked off by iron bars do not help give any other picture other than that of a dungeon. The fact that it's below ground and cold doesn't really help either. So, in the end it's just the stone-cold dungeon that I was dragged into by Eliza Belmont.

I looked around the dungeon and seen very little that would be found in a first-world nation like Japan, France, or America. It seemed to be more medieval than anything else. There are what looked to be practice dummies filled with straw as bits were sticking out the limbs of these dummies.

On the walls, along with the stone, there is a weapon rack. The weapons found on the racks weren't those that would be given out to modern armed forces, but to knights or crusaders. Swords, lances, daggers, shields, bows, basically anything used before the days of modern weaponry was found on those walls. The weapons seemed to be more of a European style rather than a Eastern style as the shelves lacked weapon like katana.

Eliza walked away from me as I sat patiently on the cold ground waiting for her next order to arrive. The Sun managed to seep through the tiny cracks on the wall, as a slight ray of light was caste upon Eliza as she was crouched, looking at even piece of weaponry with the same diligence as the last. Her red hair seemed to be brighter than the Sun as it stood out more than anything else in the dungeon. Her clothes didn't stand out as much due to their darkish shade.

Her fingers would glide across the dull parts of each blade as if to check their quality. The weapons must be old due to majority containing rust that coated the steel of these once revolutionary weapon. She grabbed a piece that she deemed satisfactory before grabbing a sheath for the weapon, and walking back towards me.

I lifted my head as Eliza stood only centimeters away from me. She seemed to be happy with her choice, as she smiled looking down on me. "Stick out your hand," she demanded, as she spoke in Japanese. I did as I was told without a second thought. As this is the very woman that made Cynthia and Saber disappear before she had the chance to catch them. She placed the small piece of weaponry gently in my hands.

The sheath of the weapon was small. Just about seven and a half inches in length just to hold the blade. I gently grabbed the handle of the weapon that I concluded was a dagger as I pulled it out from its sheath. The sound of the steel grinding against the sheath slightly echoed through the dungeon. The dagger was pure black. It only had one edge as the other side was dull. The blade was just about the same length as the sheath. Though, the color of the blade was a dull black, it could still reflect the slight glimpses of Sun as if the dagger was a mirror.

"Why a dagger?" I asked as I slid the blade back into its sheath and placed it gently on the floor next to me.

"I've trained with weapons my entire life, since I was a child. Just from looking at you, I have a feeling that you have springs in those legs of yours. You're not built to wield anything of a caliber near that of a great sword, or something related. So, we're going to work with your strengths and make them even stronger. A dagger is a weapon that relies on speed so, that's what we're training," she said as if she just read off all of my physical abilities as if they were written in a book.

"H-how did you… just forget it," I sighed out as I finally pushed myself off the ground with dagger nested in my hand.

"Alright, time for training."

"R-right," I said as I began to unsheathe the dagger once more, but Eliza quickly shock her head in denial as she pushed my hand to force the dagger back into its sheath. In one motion, she disarmed me and took hold of the dagger that she had just given me.

"You're rushing," she said in a stern tone like a teacher. She slid the dagger into her overcoat and grabbed two wooden practice weapons that were around the same size as the dagger that she had just taken from me. She tossed one over to me. It landed in my hands, but I had to juggle it for a moment until I had a firm grasp on its handle.

Eliza took a stance with her feet widened about eighteen inches apart with her hands held at eye level as the dagger was held backhanded with the blade pointed towards me. Her stance was pristine as she wasn't stiff, but she wasn't too lax either. Her body would move whatever way she chose to have it move.

I did my best to mimic the stance that Eliza had taken as she was staring at me as if she was challenging me. I couldn't see myself, but I could tell just by the stiffness I felt in all my muscles, my stance was off. It was the best I could manage with just mimicry as there was no technique behind my attempt. "Try to hit me," Eliza declared as I stood facing her. I nodded in response.

My breath was white even though the season would soon change to Summer. That's how cold it was down here, but Eliza looked like a furnace, as heat seemed to radiate from her. It looked as though a heatwave had struck, and began to blur my vision. Despite that, I took the first step in the sparing match that Eliza declared that we would have. I stiffly hammered the wooden piece down for my poor attempt of a strike as I believed I seen an opening. But it was no good., Eliza quickly counted my strike by raising her left forearm to catch, and lock it in place with mine. With her free right arm, she struck like lighting. She swung the wooden piece with ease. It was so fast that I could barely keep up with it. But it stopped right in front of my eyes.

I backed away like a rustic robot. My body was stiff beyond belief. Playing basketball and fighting seem to be two different worlds. Basketball came to me naturally, as handling a ball and a weapon are entirely different. "Wait," I said, as I thought out loud. The pieces of the puzzle began to connect, as I looked at what I know and didn't know side-by-side.

The entire lesson that Eliza was trying to get through to me was the art of a counter attack. By blocking, it creates an opening that wasn't there before. But on the other hand, with the lack of everything that should have been in my stance, I don't think an opening needed to be made for Eliza to strike. Maybe she was just trying to get some point across?

I tried to mimic the same stance again and again, but the result was consistently the same. It always ended with Eliza having me at checkmate. Though, she countered in a different way each time. Some were arm locks, some were throws, and some were blocks. Every way that I could even imagine of swinging the wooden piece, she had the perfect way to reply to the strike.

After countless hours of being destroyed, my body finally wouldn't let me get back to my feet. "I must say boy, you lasted much longer than I thought you would," Eliza said as she began to twirl the wooden piece in her hand before she put it in her coat. What's even in her coat anyways? Is it like a hacked item in RPG's that give the player an unlimited carry weight?

"Uh… Thank you?"

"It was supposed to be a compliment. I don't expect you to learn everything in an instant, but I was hoping that you'd improve a little. I knew your body would be stiff, but never thought that I'd be looking at a board… Are all your joints rusted bolts?"

She went from complimenting me to dissing me. She had me shoot for the stars just to go and kick me into the dirt. "I've never been in a fight in my life, what did you expect?"

"Not that…"

"What do you mean, 'not that,'…"

"You know, not that. I'll tell ya' what, this is just the basics to fighting with daggers. So, if you want the nice, shiny, black one that I picked out for you back, then you should be able to figure the basics out within a week's time," she said with another one of her devilish smirks.

I wanted that dagger back, something about it was calling to me. Maybe it was lust, but I don't know. Even though I only had possession of it for mere moments, the blade already felt like it was part of me. The only thing that I had was a poor excuse of a weapon as the wooden dagger was nested in my palm. "Then I guess I'll just have to figure it out."

"That's the spirit boy!"

* * *

That week had gone by in the blink of an eye. I spent every moment that I had in the dungeon. There was no room for failure, as I had to grasp the basics of combat within the short span of one week. I was put into the soldier express line as Eliza had put everything she had into pushing my body to its breaking point. We'd constantly spar, and each time, my body began to feel lighter and lighter.

It was within the small span that we had, I managed to put a few drops of oil on my rustic bolts for my joints. I learned and moved forward as Eliza continued to teach me how to fight. Patience seemed to be key with this kind of thing.

I had the stance down to a form that was my own. The flow of attacks and the moments felt almost natural. It was scary just how far I had come in just a week. I went from being novice to… Well, still a novice, but this time with more experience.

I could now counter, counters and I learned the basics of arm locks. As well as slashes with the dagger. Blocking and parrying were other things that I'm getting the hang of too. The basics of fighting with a dagger finally got through to me.

I believe that I had gotten good at fighting. Though, good isn't good enough, as I still have zero wins and one-hundred-and-fifteen losses in the sparing matches against Eliza. The matches last a significantly longer time now that I have a basic understanding of these things, but I'm not at the point where I could ever rival a master of the art.

I sat on the cold ground of the dungeon panting. Eliza looked down on me just like the day that we had first met. But things were different from last time. The very first day that I had met Eliza, she seemed to be stern and she didn't have to try when we were sparring. Now, now she was panting and I could see drops of sweat glide against her gentle face.

"I must say boy," she stopped to take a breath. "I didn't think that a week would have been enough time for you to grasp all of this, but you seemed to prove me wrong."

"You think," I said, as I took a pause for the same reason, "so?"

"Yeah, and as promised, you can have that dagger back." She shuffled though her coat, feeling around for the black blade that she had hidden away inside it. As she pulled her hand out from her coat, the dagger that I've been training this hard for appeared. She dropped it into my hands.

The sheath of the dagger was cold, like I remembered. But it was still the same blade as I examined it, like before. "Thank you, Eliza."

"No need, someone needed to teach you, but it just so happened that I was the one who was the most qualified to do it. Plus, it would be inhumane to send someone out to fight who is untrained."

Her thoughts were logical and pure. She's like me in some cases. She doesn't want to see people get hurt. She's kind of like a hero that I could only dream of being. She has the power to do these great things, while I'll be stuck in her shadow. "Boy," she said, looking down on me once more. "If you don't have more pride in yourself, I can guarantee that I will begin to hate your very existence."

"Harsh," I said as I smiled at her and pushed myself off the ground. "I think I have pride in myself, but that's kind of meaningless. I'm proud of what I'm capable of accomplishing in such a short span so, I think that's pride."

"It is, but don't let it consume you. You're a scary person boy."

Her words caught me off guard. "H-how am I scary?" I immediately asked her.

"You're not scary because of what you are capable of now. You're scary because of what you will be capable of in the future."

"Wow, that's deep," I said waving it off. It was mainly because I didn't understand what she meant by that. "But then I guess a wildcard is the right name for me, isn't it?"

"It does fit you, doesn't it?"

The wildcard. No, not the draw-four wildcard in Uno, but something that's unpredictable. A card that's kind of like an ace, but is capable of more than being one thing. A talent that has yet to blossom, but it still embedded in the soil. That is the wildcard.

"So, Mr. Wildcard, we should get going. All masters of the Black faction are here today so, we're going to have a little get together."

I followed her up the steps and through the decorated corridors. We stopped at a room. There was a cherry wood door that separated the corridors from that room. As Eliza slightly twisted the knob, the door creaked open. Twelve people were standing behind the door. There was a round table and projector lined up facing a smooth white wall.

"Monsieur," a familiar voice called out.

"Oh, Saber. You're here already?"

"Of course, we have all been waiting for the two of you."

I took my seat next to Cynthia and a man that I had never seen before.

He seemed to be Japanese, but that was just judging from his appearance. His brown hair and eyes gave the Asian impression to me. He was taller than me, but not by too much. He wore a kimono, but he seemed to be thin. He wasn't very old looking either. He had to be in his early twenties at the most.

Behind him, stood a woman also wearing a kimono, but of an entirely different color. It was mainly purple with some black and white. She had pink hair that was tied together in a bow, but the part that really threw me off were her fox like ears and tail. Not to mention that she seemed to be quite generous in some places. Her eyes were an amber color like Cynthia's.

"Hello," the man said.

"Uh… hi…" I nervously responded.

"Alright, everyone's here." A man said as he stood up to face us. He wasn't the skinniest man that I've ever seen. He had ripped jeans and a white T-Shirt. Over his shirt, was a leather jacket. It wasn't zipped, but that's probably because he couldn't due to his weight. He was the oldest out of everyone in this room excluding the servants. His hair was slicked back. Its original color must have been black, but time seemed to catch up with him as gray hairs were visible from where I was sitting.

"I'm sure you're all aware by now what happened to Harper so, in his place, I'll be taking command of our faction," he declared. "Are there any objections?"

The room went quiet as the man stood there. Maybe the fear of him sitting on them was enough to keep them quiet or they preferred that he didn't try to take their food later.

I looked at Saber who was standing behind me. She gritted her teeth looking at the man. She seemed to not be a fan of his. It was aura that was surrounding her which gave me this hunch. Well, maybe not just me, but everyone who was around him. Saber couldn't confront the man that was standing before her. Maybe it was due to their social ranks one being a master and the other being a servant.

"Who gave you the right to rule?" I objected.

The man glared back at me, but it was nothing compared to the physical torment that I had been through this past week. If looks could kill, I'd be dead on the spot. "Oh, and who are you?" He said, but it sounded like her was choking on his on fat.

"Mahiro Ishida. Kinda rude what you did there isn't it? Ya' know, having someone state their name without saying your own. I won't force it out of you right now, I'll let you swallow your food before you speak."

"You!" the man started before he was interrupted by someone I hadn't noticed before. Standing next to Lardo was a man draped in black. If Lardo was a bolder, then this man was a toothpick. Half of his face was covered in a white, skull like mask stained with red. His hair was a dull black that split in the middle. He greenish skin that resembled that of a zombie.

"Refrain from insulting my master," the zombie-man said.

"Assassin, you are no man to talk!" Saber demanded.

"Saber, I will ask you as a gentleman should, and insist that a beautiful lady such as yourself refrain from joining us males." This Assassin is nothing like the one that I met previously in Japan. Even though he was the enemy, I liked him. He didn't seem like a bad person at all. But this one on the other hand, gave me a feeling of disgust.

Saber gritted her teeth once more, but to Assassin's remark. "I would appreciate it if you would stop insulting Saber," I said looking at the man draped in black robes.

"Oh, big words for such a little boy," Lardo said.

"You're arguing with a 'little boy', but you think you can command seven heroes from the past, don't make me laugh. You seem to be no more than a dictator to me," I snarled back at Lardo. My hand was firmly holding the handle to the dagger, but the look in Eliza's eyes told me that it wouldn't be worth it is I did. Assassin's eyes seemed to be locked at the same place the dagger was.

"You think that you're the big shot now that you have Saber as your tool!? You're no more than a replacement!"

Tool, a term that I hate. He's saying that those summoned by the Holy Grail are no more than objects, or possessions. They might be dead, but once, they were people, just like all of the masters in the war, weren't they? Now that Saber and I are a pair, does she become one of these "tools"? "Saber is not a tool!"

"What do you think servants are, people? You're living in a dream! Saber is only here to fight, nothing more, nothing less."

 _Nothing more than a tool? Only here to fight? I'm living in a dream? No... I won't accept this... If this is a "dream", then I don't want to wake up. She's my partner._

"Saber's a person too!"

"Saber's just here to fight!"

A battle of tension was in front of the five other masters. An old man arguing with a high schooler. Lovely, isn't it?

It wasn't a very long battle, as it was interrupted by the growling sounds, and the heavy breathing of a man who was black and gold. He stood over eleven feet tall as he slouched just to fit inside the room.

"Enough," the voice of a little girl behind him declared. Her snow-white hair was like mine, but her red eyes resembled those of the woman who I couldn't put a name to. She looked like a miniature form of that woman. Her white bangs stopped just above her eyes as it flowed down to the middle of her back. "If you two do not calm down anytime soon, then Berserker will have a few words with you!"

I looked over to the girl and she looked at me. But the moment our eyes met, she looked away.

"She's right," the man sitting next to me said. "Bickering won't solve anything. Aren't we supposed to be a team? If we are, then we need to think like one."

"Master, you're so cool!" The fox-girl standing behind him said.

The room focused on the man next to me. But the only thought that crossed my mind, was if anyone here was qualified to lead us, it would be him. If he were to lead, he would be fair and just. Everyone didn't seem to have a bad taste in their mouth as he spoke. His servant seemed to be fond of him as well. Though, he did seem to lack one major thing about a leader. That would be his lack of charisma. In the end, he seemed to be the type of person that would just fade into the background, but it was better than having Lardo lead us.

Lardo cleared his throat, or rather swallowed his food, as he began to speak. He looked away from me, but I could tell that he and I would never see eye-to-eye. He then went on and on about the Red faction filling everyone in with the information that he had gathered. One-by-one, he began to list off the names of the masters he had found out about.

First, was Saitoshi Sasori. The very man that had tried to take my life not too long ago. But it's thanks to Cynthia and Archer that I'm still here today. I thought that it was pointless that Lardo was taking time to go over a master and servant that were already out of this war, but he continued explaining every detail about the man.

Next, was Yukimura Nagato. The nerdy, short kid with glasses. He was the frail boy that I had met at the library with Saber. The first battle that I felt I had lost was at that very place. He said that his servant was Berserker, but he didn't know the true identity of the servant.

Following Yukimura, was a dark-skinned man from the Americas. From what the picture of the man displayed, he was large and bulky with distinctive scars on his body and black hair. His name was, Sakima Pallton. Lardo couldn't figure out the servant that this man had, but the command seal branded upon his hand were more than enough to convince Lardo that Sakima Pallton was indeed a master fighting in the Grail Wars.

Lastly, the fourth master that Lardo could discover, was a man named Kellin Taylor. His auburn eyes and messy brown hair that was slicked back stuck out the most. His body type was average and didn't stand out much. The major piece that Lardo had gathered was that Kellin's servant was of the Lancer class.

* * *

I sat in the room that Saber had led me to. It was nicer than the apartment room that I had in Japan, but lacked the beautiful view that it had. That rising Sun is but a distant memory for now.

"The beds here are comfy," I thought out loud.

"I'm glad they're to your liking," Saber replied as she leaned against the wall. Her hat was place on a small wooden nightstand in the middle of the room. She looked off into the distance through a small window that was near the wall she was leaning against.

"Yeah, so I take it that you don't like Lardo?"

"Lardo?"

"Um… the guy who claimed to be the leader. I noticed that you were gritting your teeth so, I thought that I should step in."

"Oh, you mean Mason Smith and his Assassin servant. Frankly, I do not like either one of them. They're not people that I believe that I will ever be able to get along with. That Assassin of his irks me. My feeling aside, monsieur, please refrain from making a scene like that. We are supposed to be a team."

"I understand. You're right Saber, I lost my temper, but he leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. I don't want to play for a team he;s captain of."

"You don't say," she said as she covers her giggle. "Though, that makes you and everyone else here," she said as she spoke in a serious tone.

"What do you mean?"

"I do not believe that any of the other masters or servants are a fan of Mason. His ego seems to allow their opinions to fly over his head."

"So, I'm not the only one?"

"No monsieur, you're not alone. Everyone just plays along."

"Yeah, this black faction is filled with the most colorful people, isn't it?" I rhetorically asked.

"It does seem that way."

"So, Saber… I know that I'm not Harper Yggdmillennia. I know that I'll never be him. I'm not skilled in magic… hell, I never casted a spell in my life, but," I started in hope to change the subject, but Saber interrupted me.

"Monsieur, I know these things. But even if you say that, you are my master and the one that I serve is you. I'm glad that someone like you is my master. I believe... that someone who's human is the best fit for anything. You aren't a trained warrior like Eliza, nor are you a dictator and power hungry man like Mason. You know your weaknesses, that's why I'm glad that you're my master."

How can she be happy about something like that? She is aware of what little I'm capable of, but she doesn't mind. Compatibility might be the word she was looking for. She and I are alike in more ways than not.

"Saber, are you here?" I females voice asked as there was a gentle knocking on the door. "I found a lot of cute dresses for you to try on!"

"M-mistress?!"

"Mistress?" I questioned as I repeated her Saber's words. "What do you mean Mistress?" I asked as I walked towards the door. The door gently opened and a silver haired woman stood behind it.

The sheer beauty of this woman was breath taking. He silver hair glistened in the Sun. Her and I shared the same colored eyes, but they looked better on her. Her slender, yet frail looking body and well developed chest as it was complemented by her short red dress. She wore long white leggings that turned into brown heels along with white gloves. On top of it all, she had a giant red hat that was elaborately designed. It kind of looked like a giant tomato. This all went together, as it completed the fair-skinned maiden.

In this woman's hands, were over a dozen dresses. Each a different color from the last. No two designs were like the one before. It kind of looked as if she was prepared for a fashion show. Though, she did seem as though she could be a model.

I looked back as Saber and was shocked. She seemed to have taken a knee to and lowered her head as if the woman that was standing at the door was royalty or something a long those lines. "How rude of me," the model-like woman standing before me said. She had an atmosphere of royalty. "I am of the Rider class in this Holy Grail War. So, please refer to me as Rider."

"O-okay... S-so, do you like know Saber?"

She glanced over at Saber before saying a word. Words seemed to travel between their glares, but I could translate them or even hear them. "In our past lives, Saber and I were… well acquainted with one another." Rider said as she wore a sparkling smile.

"M-mistress, what's with the dresses?" Saber asked.

"Because, I seen them and thought that you would look cute wearing them!"

"T-that's irrelevant!"

"C'mon Saber! I bet your master would like to see you in these dresses too," Rider said. She looked like an angel, but seemed more like a devil in disguise. She is indeed a wise one, isn't she?

"H-how the hell am I getting dragged into this?!"

"We both know that you want to," Rider said in the same devilish tone she used before.

"T-that's beside the point!"

"M-monsieur, mistress..." Saber said as she was red in the face. Her feet were kicking back and forth.

"C-cute," Rider and I both mumbled.

"I-if it is for t-the two of you, I do not m-mind…"

"Yay!" Rider exclaimed for getting her way.

"B-but, could I have some privacy in order to change."

I must say, I'm shocked that Saber is willing to go through all of this just because Rider brought it up. I don't really know their actual relationship, but it must be something like the master and servant pact Saber and I have now. So, something like a boss and an employee. No, something more than that. They must have been like close friends when they were alive or maybe something along those lines.

Rider gently pushed on my back as she and I left the room and shut the door behind us. Rider and I stood in the hallway waiting for Saber to finish changing into the dress that Rider had left for her.

"Saber's master, what is your name?" Rider asked out of the blue.

"Mahiro Ishida."

"I see, has Saber told you who she really is yet?"

"No, but is that really that big of a deal?"

"In some cases, yes, but it isn't that big of a deal for you. Well, I don't think so at least. She made the right call leaving you in the dark with that information. I do not wish to offend you, but it's my honest opinion."

"What makes you say that?"

"It's nothing against you or the fact that she thinks you would tell the wrong person, but she doesn't trust the other mages in the war. You're not trained in the magic arts so; other mages could easily read you mind and then Saber's identity would become public knowledge."

"That makes more sense then. She just told me that it was best that I remain ignorant of her real name. I feel better knowing that it wasn't because of her not trusting me though."

"I-I'm done," echoed through the door as Saber called Rider and I into the room.

Without a moment to spare, Rider seemed to have quite a bit of pep in her step as she quickly burst through the door.

Saber looked just as beautiful as before. No, even more than before. Rider had given her a light blue ball gown with frills at the base of it. White fabric traveled down from the chest area to the base of the gown. Along with that, there were decorative designs sown in with light pink cloth.

I was at a loss for words as I stood there with a dead mind. I couldn't see, but I could tell that I was red. Probably like a tomato with an albino stem well… if they exist.

"W-what do you think?" Saber hesitantly asked.

"So, cute!" Rider yelled. Saber seemed to be flustered, but then shifted her gaze towards me as to ask for my opinion.

I stood there at a loss for words. I don't believe that a dictionary contains enough words to express my thoughts on Saber. It suited her, but that wasn't something that would work out too well. "Y-you look really beautiful Saber… Like really, really, beautiful." These words weren't much, but they were the best that I could come up with as I looked at the girl standing before me. It was to the point where the model-like Rider couldn't even compare.

"T-thank you," Saber mumbled, but it was loud enough to be heard throughout the room.

"Saber, shall we go, I have so many more things for you to try on!" Rider said as she grabbed Saber's hand and dragged her out of the room.

"Looks like I'm alone," I said to myself as I stood alone in the empty room. I heard Rider's and Saber's footsteps pass away into the distance. I followed their lead into the hallway, but the direction I wanted to go in was the opposite of where they were going.

* * *

The hallways of the manor were like a maze, constant twists and turns just to get to one place. Luckily, there were tags on each room that said the names of people staying there as others seemed to be for things I didn't know as they were written in Romanian so, I didn't want to take any chances.

I stopped at one room. The tag on it read, " **Eliza Belmont** " as it was written in bold. I knocked on the door, but it creaked open on its own. "Eliza," I called out into the empty room.

The room was set up just about the same as the one that I was given, but this one seemed to have more of a feminine touch to it. The walls were painted pink. Lined up all around the room, were stuffed animals of all different kinds, but one out of the bunch stood out the most. There was a stuffed teddy bear that had to be almost four feet in length. It said in the middle of the bed propped up against the wall. Its brown fur made it look like a really comfy pillow.

"Who would have guessed that Eliza was so… girly."

The gates of Hell opened behind me. Satan herself stood only steps behind me. The raging fires coming from the pit radiated onto my shoulder. The thought of even looking over my shoulder made it seem as if the contract that signed over my soul would be would be complete. I dodged death a few time already, what did I do to deserve this? "You seen them, didn't you!?" The red-haired devil called out. The Devil or at least the spawn of the Devil stood just behind me.

"Satan is a servant in this war?" I mumbled before turning around. There was a raging red aura that engulfed her. It look as if her hair was lifted, or the horns were about to pop out.

"It seems like you haven't heard me," she started. It seemed as if the red aura was about to touch me. Is the end really that close? "So, allow me to repeat myself. You seen them, didn't you!?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said as I twiddled my thumbs trying to "act" innocent. But apparently, my mask was one that could easily be taken off as Eliza had seen through it all.

"Then, I'll just have to erase your memory."

"W-what do you mean by that?!"

"A hard-enough blow to the head works wonders boy," she said as she cracked her knuckles. She didn't take a stance as she fired away, but I managed to make a quick escape as I ran away from the scene.

"I apologize!" I yelled as I ran as fast as I could, not looking behind me from to the constant fear that the devil herself would be the one chasing me. It didn't take too long for me to find myself lost as I ran through the twists and turns of the manor. "At least she isn't following me," I said trying to catch my breath. I took a moment to survey the area, but found myself dumbfounded. "Great, where am I now?"

Everywhere in the manor looked the same to me. There layout seemed to be identical from every twist and turn that there was. If I win the grail, I might wish that they have maps made for the manor because, I have no clue where I'm even going.

"Master, our love knows no bounds!" echoed through the hallway.

"Caster, could you please just drop it?" a man's voice said in Japanese. It sounded like the man who I was sitting next to during the table meeting. The very man who I thought would be the most fit to lead. As he and Caster peaked the corner, he waved in my direction. "Ishida, right?" he asked as he looked in my direction.

"No need to be so formal. Mahiro will do. You're older than me, aren't you?"

"Right, I haven't introduced myself, have I?" He said, as he slightly bowed. His kimono fell forward with his slight movements. "I'm Hayato Takahashi. I look forward to working with you."

"Taka- "I started until he interrupted me.

"Hayato," he corrected.

"Right, Hayato, mind if I pick at your brain for a bit?"

"Not at all, let's head over to my room first. It would be more comfortable to sit as we talk." I responded with a nod.

Caster and Hayato took the lead as they traveled through this maze with ease. They knew when to turn to get to their room as where I had no idea where I was even standing. We stopped at a door that had " **Hayato Takahashi** " written on a panel next to the door.

The door creaked open and it looked just like mine. Same bed, same desk, same nightstand, same everything. The floors looked the same too. This entire manor was like an enormous hotel. "So, what is it that you wanted to ask me?"

He didn't seem like the type to lollygag before getting anything done. He seemed to be more like a straight to the point kind of fellow. "This whole thing I guess." He only raised an eyebrow to my words. "Lardo-, I mean Mason… Why is he the one assuming leadership?"

"Well… after Harper's death, he looked at himself to be the most qualified. He's a power-hungry prick. He believes that the people should follow him because of some reason that he won't even say. I personally don't like him nor do I think anyone else on our team does. They just kind of tolerate it. Personally, I don't believe that he's all there."

It's just as Saber said. They just play along with the man's demands because, no one wants to stick up to him. But then a thought hit me. "Like he's missing a few screws?" I asked for clarification.

"Something like that. However, I don't know how to bring it up. We were hoping that Saber's new master, or you would be able to pick up where he left off, but you seem to be in the same boat as us."

"Why don't you lead us then?"

"Right!" Caster interjected. "Master would be the perfect leader! He's smart, funny, and as his wife, I could pick up where he's slacking in!"

"Caster!"

I looked at what seemed to be a married couple, or perhaps a girl who's living in her own fantasy trying to cling onto the man next to her. I could only laugh at the satirical relationship that these two had. If this faction was a deck of cards, they would be the Jokers.

My laugh seemed to catch them off guard as their attention was now diverted towards me. "Mahiro, what makes you think that I should be the leader?"

"Instinct, I guess. Just seems like you get along with everyone so, that makes you the most suitable. Plus, you have your queen with you," I joked.

"See master, even Saber's master sees it!"

"Well, that's just fine!"

"Uhhhhh," I said dumbfounded as I watched this lovers quarrel unfold before my eyes. "Well, thanks for letting me pick at your brain, but I'm going to go. It was nice talking to you Hayato," I said as I left the room. I took one last glance into the room as Hayato's face screamed "don't go!".

I sighed in relief as I left that room before it turned into something that I didn't want to see. Though, I couldn't help, but admire Caster's persistence towards her master.

I began to wander aimlessly through the maze once more. Every time I turned a corner it appeared as if I had already been there. The paintings on the wall looked the same on every wall. It felt like the eyes on the portraits would follow me around where ever I went. It got to the point where I didn't even pat attention to where I was going.

I looked in front of me and seen the white-haired girl who had spoken up during the meeting. She seemed to be about eight judging from her height. Her crimson eyes glistened in the hallway's lighting.

She stood motionless as she stared at me from across the hallway. Time seemed to have stopped as the scent nostalgia filled the area. The eyes that I thought were following me seemed to be nonexistent. "I-it's you!?" escaped her mouth in pure shock. It was barely audible, but I somehow the wind managed to carry it to my ears. Everything resumed. Time started once more as the girl made for her escape.

"Wait get back here!" My feet began to move on pure instinct. I don't know why, but something was telling me to follow the white-haired girl. I've seen her once before at the meeting, and that was it. Instinct was telling me to go after her.

She led me through the twists and turns of the maze. But she turned and as I looked over she was nowhere to be found. "Damn, I lost her..."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hey it's me again. I was able to get a second chapter out this month. I don't any new news to say about** **Le Quinzième so, I'll just say happy holidays to everyone!**

 **Anyways, tell me what you like and didn't like! I look forward to meeting again in the next chapter!**


	6. Humanité

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fate/Series. All ownership goes to Type-Moon, and all other respected owners. I only own my OC's**

* * *

 **The Next Day**

The Sun peeking through the window signaling a new morning. Its light shimmered upon the floor as little speckles of dust circled around its radiance. The cherry wood flooring creaked as someone walked.

"Ugh…" I moaned as I rolled around in the bed. "I don't want to get up yet."

I peeked open one eye to look around. The rays of the Sun glared towards me and clouded my vision. I couldn't see too well, but the echoes from the creaking floors were still heard. I feel as though I'm in a trance or something like that. I don't feel as aware of my surroundings as I usually am. The creaking finally stopped and I was tempted to roll back over and fall asleep once more.

"Monsieur, good morning," the familiar voice greeted me. She stood as my shield and blocked the strikes from the Sun. Though the simpler solution would have been to just close the curtains, but this worked just as well. Well… not really. I can't roll back over and drift away once more with her standing here.

"Oh Saber, good morning," I yawned out as I forced myself up. My arm was the only thing that was keeping me from rolling back over as it propped me up. I rubbed my eyes to clear my vision. I sat there quietly as I stared at beauty that could rival Aphrodite. Her azure eyes looked into mine with sincerity as she offered her hand. I grabbed onto it, then I was on my feet.

I walked past her as I closed the blinds. She wasn't that good of a shield when she's not taller than me. The Sun no longer peeked through the window yet the room was still bright. "There's another meeting today. I heard it from Rider's master yesterday. She said something about a big plan and how we were going to take the first move in this war."

"So, she's in line with Mason?"

"I'm not too sure. But conflict will be upon us shortly."

"Don't they think it's a little early for this? I mean Assassin of Red was just taken out of the battle not too long ago by Archer. Why are they trying to rush things?"

"Monsieur, I'm sorry, but I cannot answer that, for not even I know the answers to your questions. If you want answers, though I doubt that you'll do it, you need to see Assassin's master for such information."

"Yeah," I sighed out as I leaned against that wall. "Though, I suppose that in due time we will find out. I really hate him." I said as I clenched my fists. "He's like a pest that won't leave you alone and you can't really squat him either."

"Monsieur, I am aware of your feelings towards Assassin's master, but I believe that it's for the best that you suppress them this time. I do not want things to get even worse here so, please refrain from making another scene today."

"Loud and clear," I said as I listened to Saber's words. She's right though. Starting something with my "teammates" wouldn't be the best idea. Especially when my life is in their hands.

"I'm glad," Saber said as she looked towards me. "You are the bigger person here, aren't you?"

"Wha-what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing really. I'm just happy that there hopefully will not be any more conflict between us."

"Now you're just being too optimistic."

"Maybe so," she started. "But being optimistic is better than being pessimistic in my opinion. I would much rather look towards the brighter things of life like love, beauty and honor rather than sulking in the despair of the world."

Once again, she's right. Everything that Saber says holds a value that cannot be rivaled by modern currency. The things that are coming out of her mouth are priceless. "Saber, you do know that it is wiser to take advice rather than giving it, right?"

"But if it isn't given, how can it be taken? That statement alone contradicts itself, does it not? They are no more than words, how you interpret and use them are up to you."

"Are you speaking from experience?"

"You could say that. Monsieur, I've been through a lot in my life. I witnessed murder, evaded death, commanded armies, and passed knowledge down through literature. So, I have plenty of experience to speak from."

Saber kept rambling on about her "experiences", but nothing was adding up for me. She's lived such a successful life from what it seems. That only leaves the question of what does she even want the grail for? I remember her saying once that servants fight for the grail because there are things that only miracles can achieve. What miracle could she possibly have in mind?

She stopped. Her mouth stopped moving like it had been. It derailed my train of thought. I looked up and her eyes were lock on me like a heat seeking missile. "Monsieur, something seems to be troubling you, what is on your mind?"

I must be like a piece of literature that she had once written. She seemed to be able to read me like one anyways. It was odd that she could tell that something was off while it seemed like she was in her own little world. "I-it's nothing…" I said as I tried to wave away her concern.

"Then I shall take your word for it," she said in her attempt to humor me. She began to speak a little more about her "experiences", but my mind began to wonder elsewhere. "Saber… I have a question…"

"Oh, what is it?"

"Actually… I was curious what you planned on wis-," I started until I was interrupted by the abrupt knocking at the door. It was loud enough to make me lose my placement.

"C'mon boy, we're waiting on you!" a female's voice called out through the door. I could tell this person's voice from a mile away. Eliza continued to bang on the door trying to get my attention.

"Monsieur, it seems as though our presence is requested. We shall continue this discussion later."

I could only nod to Saber's statement. The door opened on its own as Eliza invited herself in with the mindset to drag me to the meeting room if needed. "Boy, you have until the count of three until I drag you there."

She seemed pretty determined to force me to go. Maybe she thought that I'd be reluctant to go because of the other day? "One." Does she honestly think that I'm someone who'd quit because of an argument? "Two." It's whatever, I guess. "Th- "

"Yeah-yeah, I'm coming," I said as I began to walk towards the door as began Saber followed me like a shadow.

It was the same room as yesterday. We sat at the same round table and sat at the same places that we did before. It was kind of like King Arthur's Court, but not really. Maybe more like the Yggdmillennia Court, or the Court of the Black Faction. Well, something along those lines.

The man who I despised along with his servant stood at the front of the room once more. He has something like an inferiority complex. There isn't really a head of a round table so, it makes him feel more in charge.

He looked at me with dagger-like eyes as to cut through me. If looks could kill, this would be a deadly weapon. We'd probably have the grail by now if that were the case. Though, I never thought of luck as my best trait so, it's not the case here.

The room had gotten quiet as Lardo began to talk. All attention was drawn towards him as he began to speak. "Thank you for gathering here today."

Not as if we had much of a choice.

"So, I've decided that we are going to strike first. There will be now progression through this war if the first shot is never fired. So, those who strike first win."

"What exactly do you have planned?" Hayato asked as he stood up, drawing attention to himself.

"Something like a recon mission," Lardo replied.

"Who do you plan on sending on this mission?" Hayato asked, still standing. The entire room was drawn to the two of them. It was a war between the two of them.

"The little shit, Saber, Angela and Rider," Lardo said cockily as he snorted an insult that was directed towards me. If that's the best he has for insults, then he already lost that battle.

I looked behind me, where Saber was standing. It'll be a repeat of yesterday by the way she looks. Her teeth were grinding like gears as she stood in silence, biting her tongue. She doesn't seem to take insults towards me very kindly.

"Saber, it's not a big deal," I whispered just low enough that only she would be able to hear it. "Let him have his laughs. Sticks and stones, right?"

"Indeed, you are correct, but an insult to you pains me more than you" she replied in a similar tone.

"It's fine, we'll just find a way to get him back later," I said as I forced a smile hoping to ease her nerves. Saber and I went back to being quiet as we sat and began to tune in once more to Hayato and Lardo speaking about this "Recon Mission" that I'm supposed to be a part of.

"What do you plan on having them do?"

"The four of em' are going to London and are going to observe the Clock Tower. Saber and Rider are European plus they originate from somewhere close to the area so it should work out. Also, Saber's skill set makes her to be the most suitable for a mission like this."

"Wouldn't you and Assassin be a better choice for a mission like this?" I asked Lardo who was going through the plan that I'm supposed to be a part of. "If I remember this correctly, Assassin's class skill that conceals its presence. From what I'm seeing, your Assassin seems to have a pretty high graded skill that does just that."

"The boy does make a good point," Eliza said as she slouched back in her chair. "Saber, Archer, and Lancer are of the three knight classes, to have them perform such an insolent, cowardly as reconnaissance would dishonor their names. Such actions should be left to those of the Assassin class."

Lardo didn't seem to know how to respond to the constant blows that were coming at him from every direction. "Saber's identity makes her perfect for reconnaissance," Lardo said trying to state his own defense.

Saber's identity, something that I'm still ignorant of. Rider said so herself that it wasn't a big deal because, I'm still a novice, but I can't help but wonder who Saber really is. Plus, it pisses me off just a bit that I'm the only one who seems not to know who Saber really is.

"Well, that's Saber's case, but why should Rider go along with them?" Eliza asked.

"Home field advantage. Rider and Saber are both from France so, if anything were to happen along the way, they'll be stronger in their home country, rather than their home region."

"Boy, what's your say on this?" Eliza stated as she looked at me demanding my opinion. She still might have been mad about the secret of hers that I found out the other day. Either that, or she was more serious than usual as she spoke sternly.

"Hmm…" I said as I wandered through the wonderful place that was my brain. "If Lardo wants to send Saber and I out on the mission, I say let him. It's just reconnaissance, isn't it?"

"That's where you're wrong you little shit. This mission isn't just about reconnaissance, but it's the first strike in this war," Lardo said until I interrupted him.

"The first strike happened back in Japan now that I think about it. Assassin of Red had killed Harper first. Then Archer dealt the fatal blow on Assassin in the middle of the battle between Assassin and Saber."

"Then call this a declaration of war," Lardo said. "It's your job to scout out the area and plant explosives in the Clock Tower."

"What the Hell is wrong with you!" I yelled as my chair flew to the ground. "That's way more than a damn declaration of war, that's fucking murder! Do you not know how many innocent lives that are going to be taken if something like that happens? It'll be the Battle of Britain all over again! The Clock Tower will fall and the rubble will destroy everything in the vicinity! It will be a fucking blood bath!"

"You don't seem to understand that this is a war, there are going to be casualties!"

"Yeah, if we go about things using your method!"

"Things like this happen in war!"

"That's when it's a war between countries, but this is a war between people! There's no need to cause the death of the innocent that have nothing to do with this to begin with!"

"War is war! It's all the same if it's between countries, or if it's between people!"

"It's clear as day that you aren't playing with a full deck of cards if that's how you view this! Everything would be normal if the grail didn't choose me to be a master. I'd be living my normal life, still going to school, but… because of that, I don't want any more people who don't have a part in this war to be dragged into it!" I started first address Lardo, but then went to everyone else in the room. "I'm not like you people! I'm not even a second-rate mage, but sixth if that. I just know that I can supply Saber with the mana she needs to say materialized in this world. I didn't know any of these things even existed in the world: magic, a wish granting device, or a war that's fought in secrecy between heroes from the past and mages. I wasn't born, nor was I trained to fight in this war, I was dragged into it. So, I'm not going to let anyone die that has nothing to do with this war! I don't care what I have to do, but I will protect those that are innocent and defeat those who pose a threat to the people I'm swearing to protect!"

The room fell silent. Everyone had their eyes on me, even the servants. It would only make sense now that I had spilled my heart and ideals out into the world. "You do know that it's impossible to save everyone?" Archer asked as he stood leaning on a wall behind Cynthia.

"I'm not that naïve to think that I could do that, but those that I can save I will."

"You'd have to be a fool to think that," Archer said.

"Then I'll be a fool."

"Your ideals will be the end of you."

"Then so be it."

Archer didn't speak back, but stood in silence with the rest of the room. Their gazes still haven't left me as time seemed to stop in the room, but that was because no one seemed to be moving.

"Monsieur," Saber said breaking that silence that had fallen upon the room. "What do you plan on doing?"

"I'll go to London for him and do the reconnaissance, but I refuse to blow up the Clock Tower. Whether he agrees with more isn't my problem. I'm willing to fight other masters, but I will not involve innocent civilians."

Lardo didn't seem to have anything left in his arsenal that he could use to retort my claim. He stood in silence along with the rest of the room.

"Why do you care so much for these peasants?" the unfamiliar voice of a female stated. It sounded like something Lardo would say, but was more like the world revolved around her. Like we were all just puppets and she's the one who pulls the strings. "They're no more than insects, are they not? If they get caught in the crossfire, then so be it. It doesn't matter to me. So, what's the big deal about their lives?"

I looked around the room until my eyes locked onto the where the voice was coming from. It was a woman who had to be in her mid-twenties. She was blond with blue eyes like Saber, but lacked the radiance of beauty that was Saber had. I could only describe her as a self-absorbent bitch. "What do you mean that their lives aren't a big deal?!" I yelled.

"What it sounds like. If they can't defend themselves, then there's no place for them on this planet. Those people have nothing to do with me." I couldn't see Lardo, but I could just tell that there was grin on his face. Something about this girl made it seem like she was on his side, or she was just a bitch.

"Monsieur," Saber whispered into my ear. "Please, do not drag this on any further. It is not worth the energy to do so."

"Yeah, you're right," I said as I pushed my chair in and walked out of the room.

* * *

 **France**

They sent Saber and I out on this mission that very night. We traveled by bus country-to-country, until we stopped in France.

Originally, we were supposed to go with Rider and her Master, but they sent us separately. I'm not too sure why that was, but Eliza was the one who told me about it. She hasn't betrayed my trust so, why would she now?

We arrived in the capital of France the following afternoon. We were told that the next day there would be a ship that would take us straight to London in the morning, and until then, we should lay low in France. Then Eliza said that we should start our mission at night.

"So, Saber… where did you get those clothes exactly?"

"Eliza was kind enough to gift them to me. Do they look odd?"

"I wouldn't say that…" Odd wouldn't be a bad word to use to describe her. With the clothes that Eliza had given Saber, she looked like someone of this day and age, but it wasn't something that I thought I'd ever see her wear. It was casual appeal for this time of year. A pair of blue jeans with a pull over light blue hoodie.

"Eliza said that these clothes could be suitable for our excursion."

"Why did she give you clothes anyways? Couldn't you just stay in spirit form?"

"I could of, but I wanted to walk on my homeland with my own two feet once more."

I guess that would make sense. She did live in France, I don't even know how many years ago, so, wanting to see her homeland would make sense. "Saber, where should we go then? You know this place better than me so, you should have a few places you want to see. Besides, we don't have anything that we should have to do until tomorrow so, we might as well make use of the free time we have today."

It happened in a moment's notice. Her hand had firmly grasped mine. The warmth from her hand was relaxing. It made all my worries drift away with the wind. If moments could last forever, then I wouldn't mind if time stopped forever right now. "Then let us go!" Saber cheered in excitement as she began to lead me around her home country.

Its beauty was astonishing. Nothing like what I could ever see in Japan. It almost made it possible to forget what was going to happen tomorrow. Seeing Saber this happy makes it all worth it.

Saber led me to the market plaza. I wasn't too sure if it was pure coincidence or she knew where it was, but fate led us to this spot. There was a cart that was like the ones found in Japan. It was a dessert that quite famous in "The Land of the Rising Sun" too. But France was where this dessert originated, it was the crêpe.

Saber began speaking to the man in gibberish that I couldn't even begin to understand. It was her native tongue or French. "Two please," Saber said to the man.

The wrinkly old man didn't respond to the gibberish that was coming from Saber's mouth. He turned away from her and started making the crêpes. It wasn't long until two edible delicacies of this nation were held out of the window. "Young lady, why are you with a foreigner?" the man asked. Perhaps you should try this with the French words here.

Saber seemed to be caught off guard by this man's words, as she took a step back in shock. "Um…"

"What is he? Your boyfriend?"

"…"

A hint of red began to transpire on Saber's face. I was kind of glad that I didn't know what was going on between the two of them. "Ah, it's none of my business. That'll be fourteen euros."

"M-Mahiro," Saber said addressing me by my name for the first time. I was shocked. It was the first time she called me anything other than Monsieur.

"Y-yeah…" I really was not sure what she wanted from me.

"He asked for fourteen euros…"

"R-right," I said as I reached into my wallet. Luckily, I was given some spending money by Eliza and Cynthia. Saber and I would have been shit out of luck if they didn't. I grabbed a five and a ten, then handed it to the man in exchange for the crêpes.

It tasted better than the ones found in Japan. Authentic my ass! These had to be a million times better than what I was used to eating.

Saber had led us to a bench not too far off from the plaza. People constantly were walking by. It was kind of like a not so densely populated Tokyo in that sense. "Monsieur, is it to your liking?"

"Yeah! It's way better than what I'm used to."

"That's good," Saber said with a cheerful smile.

"Saber… why did you call me Mahiro back there...?"

"'Monsieur', wouldn't be too appropriate in a public setting, especially in France, no? It might draw unwanted attention if I did so. So, I called you by your name. Should I not have?" Saber asked as she tilted her head in both sincerity and confusion.

"No-no, that's not it at all… It's just I was caught off guard when you said it. I'm used to you always calling me 'monsieur'. I kind of prefer you using my name… Monsieur and Master are titles that sound way too formal. It's just more relaxing to hear you call me by my name rather than a stuffy title."

"So then… Mahiro. Yes, Mahiro, it has a much more casual ring to it!" I couldn't help but to hid my blush by taking another bite of the crêpe. From the corner of my eye, I could see that Saber was smiling. It was as if a huge weight had been taken off her chest.

"Why did you always call me 'monsieur' anyways?"

"To honor our pact. You are the Master in our relationship so, I used monsieur as a respectful title."

For a reason, such as that, she gave me a title. It was quite knightly of her to do so. She has some serious pride that she is willing to protect with her life. It isn't a bad trait in the slightest, but it is one that I wish I had myself.

"You really shouldn't worry about those things with me. We're partners so, I would much rather you call me Mahiro other than anything else." I said as I smiled.

Put a bit more here, talk about Saber's reaction to this...does she hesitate or something else entirely?

* * *

The waves roared as they crashed against the stone that served as a barrier. Droplets of water scattered, covering small portions of the ground. The only thing that kept someone from falling into the ocean, was the rusted, barred guard rail that was about three feet tall.

Looking off into the ocean was a nice change of pace. The sun began to say goof-bye, as it descended, slowly moving below the line of horizon. The sky that was once blue was now lit up with a beautiful orange. "It's beautiful," escaped my mouth as I couldn't help but smile at the sight I have never seen before.

"It is," Saber said, as she walked closer to me. She leaned on the rusty railing that either needed a new coat of paint or needed to be replaced. "Aren't there sights like this in Japan?"

"Probably… well yeah, but it's nothing that I can see from where I live. I would have to go to the beach to see something like this. The only thing like this would be the skyline that the sun sets over every day."

"That cannot rival the beauty of the ocean, no?"

"Not in the slightest," I said, as I smiled. The orange soon turned into a dark purplish color. The only source of light is the moon that was casting its rays upon Saber and I. The light glistened. There had to be a sparkle in the light just to summate with Saber's beauty. I stood in awe, as the wind carried her hair through the night. She wore a smile for some reason.

Her smile did not last very long. In just mere moments, her eyes narrowed as she lost her smile. Another glittering array surrounded her, but it wasn't a compliment from the moon this time. The clothes she once wore vanished into thin air, as she changed into her battle gear in less than seconds. It was quite the convenient use of magic if I do say so myself.

Her right hand rested on the hilt of her rapier, as her stance widened. Like lightning, she drove past me. My face turned blue as a strong gust of wind hit me. Reluctantly, I turned to face the woman who had the speed of a demon. My head rotated mechanically, as I was scared to face what was about to happen before my eyes.

Saber stood gallantly, with her rapier nested firmly in her right hand. It had to have been in a single motion. Everything she did was all one move. Moving and drawing her weapon, she did that simultaneously! My fear turned into amazement. Something like this was possible, it happened just before my eyes. "Saber," I started until my attention was drawn towards the slight clanking of wood on the ground beneath my feet.

Without the moon shining, I wouldn't have been able to make out what it was I was looking at. Cleanly cut, an arrow rolled on the ground. It was rather small, but still deadly. "Archer of Red is near," Saber said as she scanned the area, trying to search for the enemy before her.

"Archer of Red…" These words escaped my mouth in both shock and fear. Here of all places... why did we have to run into an enemy servant here?! Did our plan get leaked?

"I'm not trying to rub salt into your cut, but Archer's master has summoned a few friends to keep us company as Archer fires from a distance."

She was right when she said that friends would be coming. I'm thanking my lucky stars that these "friends" were not more Servants of Red. There were five foot soldiers that stood just minutes away. They weren't people, but things that are already dead. Skeleton Soldiers would be accurate way to describe what they were. Their arsenal of weaponry wasn't very broad. Their weapons were rusty steel swords, and wooden lances with iron tips.

"Saber," I said as I reached towards to lower back. "I want you to fight Archer of Red. I'll take care of the Skeleton Soldiers." The dagger at my lower black glided out of the sheath with ease, as I held it firmly backhanded.

"That's ridiculous! There are five of them, and only one of you!"

"Saber! This is an order! Do I need to use a Command Seal?"

"But…"

"Nothing! This is our best chance. If Archer is occupied by you, he won't have time to focus on me. These soldiers are mechanical, just look at their movement. I'll ask once more; do I need to use a Command Seal?"

She shook her head, as she jumped into the night sky. Her words echoed through the night. "Be safe!"

"'Be safe', she says," I mock the words that Saber said to me before she jumped off to face the main threat before us.

My heart beat increased dramatically, as I faced the enemies before me. I took a deep breath before narrowing my eyes to face the soldiers. In rhythm, I lifted my fingers and put them back, starting at the pinky and ending at the index to readjust my grip on the dagger.

Those minutes that separated us were converted to a mere five seconds. That's how long it would take these soldiers to close in on me.

One… if I make the first move, I'm a goner.

Two… How am I supposed to defeat these things?

Three… Oh, what the hell.

Four… I'll just have to figure something out and work with my instincts.

Five… Alright, no time left to sit on my ass!

It had to be survival instincts that drove me to move. Fight of flight, or Social Darwinism. Though, I'm pretty sure that those two things are one in the same to begin with.

The soldier's bones creaked with each step. They look to be as fragile as glass, but are somehow still sturdy looking at the same time. It's the best way that the clothes skeletons could possibly be described.

I hear the sound of ripping, as the wind is torn apart by the rusty sword of one soldier. I fall to my knees as if I had already lost the battle, but it was my instincts taking control and forcing me to duck. A few strands of my hair dance on their way to the ground.

That was too close. It feels like my shadow was cut cleanly in half. That's how close it was.

The dagger is still nested firmly in my right hand as I look up at the skeleton. A fury of attacks follow from the soldier. I roll to the side to dodge it, but a fury of attacks is coming from all five soldiers. I continue to roll in my attempt to dodge the ongoing slaughter. If I stop rolling, then I'm done for.

The realization that if I make one faulty move, I'm going to die hits me like a brick.

I'm in the clear. At least for now that is. I push myself back to my feet and realize just how dirty, and torn my clothes are. But that's bound to happen after trying to dodge countless killer blows.

"For skeletons, they're quite nimble," I said as I raised my guard. There were flashes of sparks in the far distance. It must be where Saber and Archer are engaging in combat. That only leaves a single choice for me. Running will not get me anywhere so, engaging in combat is my only option if I want to bring this battle to an end.

I start out in a charge, but turn it into a head-on roll after a few steps. Coming up and throwing my legs into the ground, I face the first soldier head-on.

A lance appeared from thin air like magic and grazed my right shoulder. I feel the pain of being stabbed run through my whole body. I don't want to fight anymore, even a little graze like this hurts beyond belief, but stopping now means that I'm definitely going to kick the bucket in a matter of seconds.

Side stepping, I let the rest of the lance strike the air, as I raise my dagger to catch the sword. Sparks began to fly from the collision of the two blades. The rusted blade became chipped by the collision. "DAMN IT!" I yell, as I kick the soldier back. It stumbles, but doesn't fall.

I wipe the sweat from my face as I take a few steps back. I take a deep breath to even out my breathing. I'm sweating like a pig. I could probably drink an entire sea, but I'm breathing evenly.

The charge starts once more. Every step that I take is another motion in this dance with death. I know I said this before, but if I'm too slow to react or if I step in the wrong place, my head will be rolling on this ground.

Dodge! Dodge! Dodge!

That's the only word that crosses my mind as I constantly run from Death's doorstep. Every time that I dodge I get cold feet. My arms won't move the way I want them to. I'm too scared. I'm scared of death so; all I can do is run away from it like a coward.

It's gotten to the point where I lost count of the number of times I've seen Death at his doorstep.

My body is cut all over from the countless number of times that I've had to dodge these attacks.

I somehow managed to jump out of the way from a downward slash from another soldier's rusted sword. It clanged against the and rang around the area.

Now that I think about it, no one else is here. The only noise made in this entire area is coming from the fight I'm having here, and the fight Saber is having with Archer.

Just as I jump to an open area, the soldier's lock on me once more.

A soldier holding a lance makes the first move. A thrust that would mean instant death was narrowly evaded by another side step. My jacked is ripped and tattered beyond belief. But the lance comes back around, this time it is being swung. The wooden part connects with my stomach, knocking the wind out of me.

I'm on all fours gasping for any bit of air that can be spared. The five of them close in once more as a unit.

At first glance, I thought these things would be mechanical, but that though was completely off. Tears clouded my vison. I lift my head. There's ten second that are separating us.

Scared.

I've never been this scared in my entire life.

Pain.

I'm in pain. Everything hurts. I'm overwhelmed by sheer numbers alone.

Even so, above all of that…

I'm absolutely terrified.

I'm too scared to stand up once more.

I look over the shoulders of the soldier's. There it is once more. The combat between Saber and Archer happening a few miles away is clear as day, even though it is night. I cracked a smile as I planted my knee. "She hasn't given up… I have not right to either."

My body is still quivering with fear, but I manage to still see the tiniest shred of hope in this entire situation.

Stand.

Stand up!

STAND UP RIGHT NOW!

Body please! Listen to me, even if it is only for this one time.

If you have enough time to quiver in fear, then you should be able to listen to my demands! Stand up! There's still hope!

I refuse to just lay here and die! Do you hear me!

If I don't stand up here and now it's game over for me!

If I can't get strong enough to reach a new height now then, when will I?

My body finally listens to me as I kick my legs off the ground. I'm up and moving. I feel lighter than ever before. My mind is as clear as glass. My soul is blazing with the fire of hope.

Swords and lances pass my face as I charge forward. My body is numb. I can't feel the grazes and cuts that hurt so much before. It was as if they had disappeared.

My mind, body, and soul only have the idea of victory in their sights. Press forward is what I'm being told by all three of these things. They enemies in front of me are all that matter right now.

My dagger collides with the weapons constantly. In an exchange of blow for blow combat, I'm taking on five enemies.

My legs dug into the ground as I spun, kicked, and dodged the next attack coming for me.

It was just as I thought. After I landed a strong enough kick on one of the soldiers, it broke into little pieces. That's on down, and four to go!

I engaged without hesitation. The attacks became mechanical like I had first seen them to be. "Too slow!" I yelled, as I repeated the same kick. The result was the same as the first time.

Eliza is way faster than these things. It's like all their moves are in slow motion.

I went for a strike with my dagger, but I couldn't move. My body wouldn't move a muscle. It my legs held me up, but for how much longer? If I move now my legs will give in at that very moment.

"Archer, we're withdrawing," a stern, yet deep voice called out from the darkness. In response, a shadow jumped from the place I sensed Saber being near.

"Archer of Red…" came out of my mouth. My legs were shaking even more than they were before.

The soldiers closed in on me, but three more piles of bones appeared in front of me within seconds.

"Are you okay?" Saber asked as she sheathed her rapier. All the work I went through to fight off these things, she handles them in seconds. I laughed at this thought.

"Yeah, I'm fine-"I said , but my body collapsed.

0000

"You're up," Saber said as she looked down on me. I looked up and seen the stars sparkle in the sky. My head was rested on something soft, but firm at the same time. My face must have looked like a tomato by the time I realized that I was laying on the same bench we were on previously on. Not just realizing that, but noticing that my head was planted on her lap.

"H-how long was I out for?"

"About thirty minutes. I was surprised, you held off five enemies by yourself. But your wounds are all gone."

Her words shocked me. I know that I was injured when I was fighting. I know that I was bleeding and I know that I was in pain. How are my wound gone? It would have to be magic…

"Saber, that's not important…" I said trying to wave it off. "We both survived this battle and we'll have to survive many more just like this one."

"I suppose you're right," She said looking out into the ocean.

I pushed myself off her lap. My body was still in pain, but it wasn't anything that I couldn't move through. "Saber, tell me about Archer of Red."

"Right," Saber started.

* * *

 **London**

There it stood, the Clock Tower. It was just before my eyes in the near distance. It was a beautiful piece of architecture that stood in the heart of London. But at the same time... it was Head Quarters of the Red Faction that we were put up against in this war between mages for the Holy Grail. A slight Spring breeze fluttered through the area, giving off peaceful vibes in this city. Though, the unaware civilians didn't know that they were just steps away for a potential war ground between heroes that might have grew up learning about. "Saber," I started, as we both stared at the tower from a fair distance away. "How could Lardo even begin to think of something like blowing up this building? There are too many people in the area. He must not be playing with a full deck of cards."

Saber didn't respond to my words as she stood next to me, wearing the clothes that had disappeared in France as she changed into her battle gear. She stood in silence, looking at the building that could potentially turn the Black Faction into international terrorist. "Indeed, it is quite disgusting. Your orders."

"Um... I don't really have any. We were just told to scout. So, this is all I planned on doing. Besides, you said that we were far enough away that the magic fields wouldn't be able to detect us. So, staying here doesn't seem like a bad idea to me."

Saber didn't respond as she frowned upon my words. "Don't tell me..." I started as I looked over in her direction. The feeling was kind of mutual, but my self-preservation stated otherwise. It was telling me that it wouldn't be smart to move from where I'm currently at, but my subconscious told me that I would be wasting my time just sitting here with my thumb up my ass. Eventually, I not only gave into Saber's will, but to my own too as I pushed myself up and faced forward. "Yeah-yeah, I know I know," I said as I looked over my shoulder, and into Saber's direction. "Even though conflict is guaranteed, it doesn't sit right with me either just doing nothing while something might happen in the city."

"Then Mahiro, you feel the same way as I do?"

"From the start," I said as I smiled at Saber. She responded by going into Spirit form. She didn't say a word, nor could I see what she was doing, but I could tell that she agreed with what I wanted to do. Though I couldn't see her, I could tell that we took the first step together, walking down a grassy slope, into the a more crowded area.

Once we traveled a few steps into the crowd, something felt off. The clenched my chest, as the air around me seemed to be thinner. I felt like I was going to suffocate of the air that was around me, if there even was any. I couldn't breathe. I could feel my heart pumping so fast hoping that it could get the oxygen that it craved so much that it was willing to burst from my chest. "Gak!"

"Are you okay?" Saber asked the moment that she heard my cry of pain. I couldn't respond. The words just wouldn't come out. I could shout at the top of my lungs, but a sound wouldn't erupt even if I wished for it. It was as if they were lost in this never-ending space that was more like a sealed tight vacuum. "Steady your breathing. You'll adjust to the field if you calm down and focus on the simple things," Saber said after noticing what was the problem.

Though panting, I was to slowly catch my breath in this razor thin air that coated the ground as if it were the peak of Mt. Everest. It seemed as if I were the only one effected by this air, as the people at around me just seemed to be paying no mind to this field and going on with their normal, everyday lives. Why doesn't this thing even faze them? It's like they're immune to the field. "Saber, how are these people not effected by the field?"

"They're not mages, so this field won't affect them in the slightest. You have magical energy, but are not a mage so, your body was effected to a greater degree than a first-rate mage. Though, simple breathing at a steady pace seems to usually do the trick with the magic of this modern era."

"That a fact?" I rhetorically asked, as I began to move forward, no longer holding onto my chest to ensure my heart wouldn't burst from out of it. I could feel the beat of my heart slowly go back to its regular pace as I moved forward. "So, they're aware of our presence now?"

"They should know that we have crossed the field and have been alerted that such actions have taken place, but I they will not attack us. At least not now anyways."

"What makes you so sure of that?"

"People," She said. I only responded with a look of utter confusion, as I raised an eyebrow at her statement. "There are too many people here for a battle to take place. It would result in a mass panic, and break the rules set by this war. If that were to happen, then I do not believe that the Ruler servant would be too pleased."

"Ruler servant? I though you said that there were only the seven classes of servants? How is there an eighth that I haven't heard about?"

"Well, the Ruler servant isn't what you would call a participant of the war like the seven servants that are with each faction. Ruler is more of an overseer of the irregular grail wars. Such as the one we are in right now."

I didn't want to ask anymore; the confusion would soon become too much for my fragile brain to handle. I can barely wrap my head around the things that I do know, I don't think that another twist would work out too well. I kind of wish that the grail would just shine a light down from the heavens that would bestow upon me the brain power to comprehend the unknowns of this world. But I'm an entire war away to even getting one wish granted. Plus, if I had the chance to wish for something, it wouldn't be for something like that. Though, I'm not too sure what it is that I would even wish for.

Saber and I moved through the crowd of people. My eyes stayed locked on the Clock Tower so, there were many times which I had accidentally walked into someone. It wasn't the best idea I've had in the last twenty-four hours, but it definitely wasn't the worst either. It was Saber and I keeping our guard up as we watched the Clock Tower for any abnormalities. The slightest thing off, or the moment that we let our guard down would result in our bitter demise.

We completed a full circle around the Clock Tower. The only thing that was off about this entire area was that magic field that I had adapted to when we first made out entrance into the area that surrounded the Clock Tower. Other than that, it was as it should be. Streets crowded with the peaceful citizens that could almost rival the crowds found in Akihabara. Though it was less dense than the crowds I had once seen in that huge shopping district in Japan, it was still crowded, as the streets were flooded with a countless number of people.

Time has passed. Bit-by-bit, the Clock Tower ticked. Occasionally, it rang signaling different hours of the day. The density of people varied at certain times of the day. I pasted time holding small talk with Saber about trivial matters, but before I knew night had come once more. Though, unlike France there were still people out and about going place to place, enjoying a night out. Some of these people were with their families as some were with friends, though, there were a few people that walked about like a shadow. Living a life full of solitude. It made me question if they were shadows or mirrors that reflected an image of me.

"Saber what do you think is going to happen?"

"Engaging in combat is still a probability, but it's highly unlikely with a crowd of people this large still hanging around."

"I see, then we should still keep our guard up."

"That would be-"

 ***Kabooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom***

"What the hell was that!?" I yelled as my instincts took complete control of my body, forcing me to get up and look towards the sound.

I couldn't pinpoint the people saying these things, but I could hear cries of terror filling the crowd that flooded the area. "W-what was that?!"

"Are we under attack?!" I heard one man yell.

"L-look up at the Clock Tower," a woman's voice cried.

There it was, the fiery hell that was bestow its image upon this city. It would burn into history. Being laid in every textbook known to future existence. Hell, was the only word that could be used to accurately describe this monstrosity that began to play out before my eyes. The gates to the Underworld had just been opened to the public. Embers danced in the air like Cherry-blossom peddles do in the Spring. Though, these ember, both beautiful and destructive were the declaration of war Lardo was talking about when we were at the meeting. It wasn't a fire of passion of hope, but one of pure destruction.

The Clock Tower still set ablaze burned like a fire place should on cold winter day. Smoke clouded the air just like it once had to this city during the Industrial Revolution. The pollution filled the air, and could probably be smelled from France. Standing not too far away from the sight, I could hear the sounds of emergency services rushing to the site of the fire, but it was futile. The Blistering heat could be felt from where I was standing. I could feel sweat drip down from my face, but that might have been from being nervous or scared of what was in front of me.

It began to crumble. Little-by-little, it began to break apart. Ash coated the area around. "It's coming down!" I heard, followed by the sounds of people rushing away from the destruction. These people only had the mind set of protecting themselves. They valued their lives more than anyone else. Human nature is what this thing is called. They were willing to stomp, kick, punch, shove, and push to ensure their safety.

It wasn't long until debris filled the ground. Cracking on the ground, as the embers set fire to surrounding buildings. Chaos filled the streets of London as people we sent into a state of paranoia. I could only grit my teeth and clench my fists as I watched it all play out.

 _I'm not a hero!_

 _That's something that I'll never be. I lack the power to save everyone, like Archer said, but..._

 _Just because I'm not a hero doesn't mean that I can't strive to become one!_

"Saber!" I called out to my partner through the chaos. I could no longer sit back and watch these innocent people sit back and get crushed by debris, burnt alive, and all of the other horrors that hell has to offer this world of the living.

"What's the plan?"

"I don't care what it takes, but... I want to save these people!"

Saber appeared before me. She had a look of shock on her face. She seemed more dumbfounded than anything else, but she looked at me with passion. She didn't move as she stared into my eyes. "Saber, do I have to use one of these command seals in order for you to cooperate with me here and now?"

She didn't respond with words, but only shock her head. As she had a smile that was covered in a light blush. "Mahiro, thank you," Saber said as sincerity filled her eyes.

"W-what are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for showing me that there are still people with humanity in their hearts." The look she had didn't fade as these words flowed from her mouth like a river. It was a meaningful statement.

"Then let's go!"

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

 **Hey guys, it's me again. I would like to give a special thanks to Keith King for editing this chapter for me. He's a great author so, you should check him out!**

 **Anyways, this is chapter 6 of LQ and I hope you guys enjoyed!**

 **Leave a review, tell me what you thought!**


	7. Contre Part 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fate/Series. All ownership goes to Type-Moon, and all other respected owners. I only own my OC's**

* * *

The inferno spread. Fire slowly began to engulf the city of London. It all started with one building, but led to majority of the city. The blaze was out of control. There was no telling how long it would take the first responders to get the fire under control. But the fire wasn't the only problem that was being faced by the first responders, they had to rescue the people still trapped within the blaze, and control the chaotic crowd.

I looked up, as Saber and I walked deeper into the heart of this great destruction. Smoke from the blaze began to fill the air, as the sky was pitched black. The night stars were covered by the smoke. The only lighting that can be found in this entire city is the fire that is destroying it.

My vision is clouded. It's hard to see, but breathing is a problem of its own. I feel like my lungs are going to burst every time I draw what little air is in the smoke. I can't stop coughing as tears begin to fill my eyes.

"Mahiro, are you okay?" Saber asks, as she placed her hand on my shoulder. I can barely see her, even though she is within arm's reach. That's how clouded this area is.

I slip my hand into the sleeve of my hoodie and move it to my face, so that my mouth and nose have the cloth to act as a shield between me and the smoke. I'm still breathing in smoke, but using the makeshift filter of my hoodie makes it a bit easier to steady my breathing. "Yeah," I coughed out. "I'll be fine."

The screams of people still trapped with the area of destruction echo. I want to help them, but if I move too fast I might take in too much smoke and that will be game over. I'm taking long deep breaths, and only taking in what I need. It's not very constant, but this will allow me to hold out until I can get far enough away from the smoke.

Ash coats the ground like black snowflakes. I hear a cracking noise with every step Saber and I take. Thought the ground in mainly black, I can see the orange-like light of the embers that fall to the ground.

I feel light headed, but my body isn't doing what my mind wants as I continue to walk forward. I can't see Saber, but I can tell that she's scared. Not for her life, but for my own well-being. Though, those two are one in the same, aren't they? If I die so does she. Our fates have been connected to each other's.

"Help!" A nearby voice choked out. Instinctively, my body turns to where the voice is coming from. I'm walking slowly as I'm barely able to keep my balance, but I'm forcing myself as I keep on moving towards that voice. "Help!" That same voice calls out once more. "Please! I don't want to die!"

"Where are you!" I yelled back. I kept walking towards the general direction of the voice.

"Over here!"

I finally figured out where the voice was coming from. My body moved there on its own, as my conscious continued to argue with me over self-preservation. I stood before the boy who was calling out for help. He was coated with a layer of ash as he laid on the black ground.

"M-mister," he said as he reached out for me. But before he could close enough to touch me, his arm fell to the ground. My heart began to pound at the sight of this. It was beating fast enough to burst from my chest.

I gritted my teeth. "I'm not going to let you die! Even if I can't save anyone else, I'm going to make sure you survive this."

"Mahiro," Saber said as she drew my attention away from the boy. "We need to hurry."

"I know that," I coughed out. The air coming out of my cough had bits of ash floating in it. She's right. I didn't notice it before, but my legs aren't steady. I'm barely able to keep my footing. I feel light headed from breathing all this smoke.

The boy who was covered in a thin layer of ash was unconscious. He was breathing, but it was faint. If he is to stay here any longer, he'll die, but that's the same for me too, isn't it? I'm not like Saber who is immune to these things. I'm only human, nothing more. I could only smile as I patted the boy's hair, while ash fell from the sky like snow.

I heard the sound of the ash cracking as Saber walked towards me. She stopped only inches behind me. "Please forgive me."

"What do you mea- "

I greeted the ashy ground like the boy had. Also, like him, my consciousness began to fade away from Saber chopping me on the back of the neck with her hand. He and I are similar, aren't we?

* * *

Black. Everything is black as far as the eye can see. Though everything is black, I can still see light peeking through the tiny cracks found in the wall that blocks it. "Mahiro, get up," a familiar voice said. Their words echoed through the hollow darkness. Those same words seemed to be on repeat. It was the only sound.

"Huh… W-where am I?" I said as I looked around. That fire was still blazing, but… I wasn't where I was. This whole thing doesn't make sense to me. I was at the heart of the blaze, but now I'm here. "I only remember seeing the boy on the ground and then Saber-," I stopped myself mid-thought. Saber... she's the reason why I'm here right now. She hit me and I fell unconscious and then carried me here, maybe? "Wait! What happened to the boy?!"

"He's safe," Saber's voice echoed in my head. She was in spirit form.

"What do you mean by that exactly?"

"It is as I said, the boy is safe. You weren't in the best state back there so it was my only option. I made you unconscious and carried both of you back to safety. The boy is safe and he is probably in the custody of the first responders as we speak."

She carried us? Those three words were the only thing going through my mind. I don't know why, but my brain found that to be impossible to comprehend. How could Saber, who's no more than forty-five kilograms able to carry two people at once? I alone weigh more than her! "Wait! You carried both of us?!"

"Yes. Is that a surprise?"

"Why wouldn't it be?! You're only like forty-five kilograms, if that!"

"Well, I have a very high strength stat, but those trivial matters are pointless right now."

"What do you mean by pointless?"

"There are more important matters at hand. Mainly what made you think that it was okay to do something so reckless as to put your own life in danger?"

In danger, huh? I suppose that those words fit the description of what happened. If it wasn't for Saber, I wouldn't have made it out of that blaze alive, let alone save that kid. "The reason… I don't really have a valid one. Though, isn't it only natural to try to help people who need it, especially when you're partially to blame that they're in that situation? I thought what I was doing was only righteous and just."

Saber didn't respond. I couldn't see her, but I could sense the look of displeasure that was radiating from her face. "Righteous and just? Those words might be the right ones to describe your actions, but you need to value your own life!"

"I know that! But… that doesn't mean that it's right to just let someone else's end because I value my own that much."

"Those are the words of a fool!"

"You don't think I know that! I know that I'm a fool for thinking I can be some kind of hero from a story book. I want to be the one who saves the day. I'm happy that I was able to at least help one person survive this entire disaster."

"A hero you say? That's a title that's given to fools. They flaunt around saving the innocent and only going right to the world. I once thought like you Master."

Master, a word that was foreign to me from Saber's mouth. I wasn't used to being called "Master", not only by her, but in general.

"Yes, I did indeed think you once. I did everything I could for my country. I did it all in the name of France. I fought for my country. I was rewarded for everything I did, but it was all taken away from me. I lost everything that I had worked so hard for. All my efforts to try and protect France were meaningless. As a result, I was exiled from France and died a boring death. Mahiro, the life of a hero isn't as glorious as it's made out to be."

"If that's the case, why don't you despise France and the French people for everything that they have done to you?"

"Because, above all the bad that France has done to me, I love my country. I would do everything all over again if I were asked to. I swore my loyalty to France and the crown so, I will always answer it's call when it need's me."

"If you're willing to do all that for a country that pushed you away from it after you put your life on the line just to keep order, what's so wrong with being a hero?"

"The fate of being a hero is what's wrong with it. It's inevitable for any hero. Death is always the outcome of it all. There's no avoiding that part. Usually a hero's ending is gruesome, and stained with blood, however, I was lucky not to face a death such as that one. Being a hero only leads to a death where no one even cares about the fact that you died!"

"I don't have anyone to care about my death if I were to die normally you know… I'm all alone in this world. My mother died when I was young and I have no clue who my father is. So, I never expected anyone to bat an eyelash if I kicked the bucket. So, what's the big deal if no one cares if I died? Like I said, I already knew that no one would."

"You're wrong! You couldn't be any more wrong than you are now!"

Her words caught me off guard. Man, this heat must be getting to me, I feel hot in the face. No, that's not it… "flustered" is the word because, it's not the heat that's getting to me, but her words. "W-what do you mean?"

"I'd care if you died and it's not because I'm your servant! It's because you're you! Mahiro Ishida, the man who's too stubborn to give up."

I wanted to say something, but I couldn't find the words to put my thoughts together. They're lost somewhere that I just can't seem to find. It's like beating a dead horse. It's pointless to try and find the right words to say.

Happy.

I'm generally happy for once. I never knew that such simple words could bring such a smile to my face. Someone is going to be there for me now. Someone to stand by me through the good, the bad, and the nasty.

"Saber, I'm happy you think that way and I'll value my life more than I do, but… I will not stop trying to save people if it's something that I can do. I refuse to just sit and watch people get hurt when I can help them. My conscious just won't let me do nothing when I can do something."

"I happy that you see it that way-," Saber started until I interrupted her.

"However, the fate of a hero. How you said that this fate is unavoidable if I walk down this path. You said that I'd die and no one would care. And that my death would be a gruesome one stained with a lot of blood, correct?"

"That is the fate of a hero," Saber said confirming my understanding of her words.

"Why should I have to worry about fate? Things like that a pointless, are they not? The world isn't the one who makes my fate, I have to craft it with my own hands. If I'm the one who creates my fate, doesn't that mean that I have every right to mold and change it too? So, Saber I promise you that I won't suffer the same fate as all the heroes from the past. I'll decide my own fate."

"Mahiro, I do not want to cut this conversation short, but enemies are approaching," Saber said as she materialized before me. She stared into the blaze that engulfed the entire city now.

"So, that's what I was feeling this entire time?"

I stared into the blaze. The inferno was blinding from a distance. Lightning struck the ground. Rain was something that the people of London must have been praying for.

"I believe that they are challenging us. What do you wish to do?"

"I'll take them up on their invitation. It would be rude to refuse such a heart warming gesture."

"That it would."

* * *

The ash crumbled at our feet. This might be comparable to a modern-day Pompeii if things keep going like this. Though, explosives are what started this and not the eruption of a volcano. If that factor was changed then history would repeat itself like the saying goes. It's a never-ending cycle with this world.

Saber and I were walking towards the site where the lightning crashed. Inside the inferno, it was still snowing ash. We weren't in the heart of the blaze like we once were, but we were in an area where all the people evacuated.

"Seems like this Master of Red has enough decency to fight in a vacant area, right Saber?"

"Yes, no unwanted guests will show up to impede the battle."

We were where the lighting crashed upon the ground. It was an area that was coated with fire and ash. There were building that were burnt and rubble that filled the streets. "It doesn't seem as though we're going to have to pay for damages if anything gets destroyed."

"Saber of Black I assume." A pale skinned boy said. "Then that white-haired boy must be your Master. Mahiro Ishida I believe."

"Who might you be?" I asked staring at the boy.

"Fredrick Ryan," he said, announcing himself. He looked rather frail for how tall he was. Plus, due to the ash, I couldn't tell if the shirt he's wearing is either white, or gray.

"Wait, did he just say that his name is Fredrick?" I thought to myself as I began to burst with laughter.

"What's so funny!?"

"S-sorry," I laughed out. "I've just never heard anyone announce themselves as 'Fredrick'. You could have said Fred, but Fredrick was what you chose to announce yourself as. It's a bit proper don't you think?"

"W-what the hell!?"

"I said I was sorry, geez…"

"Mahiro, I do not think that this is the time to joke around," Saber said as she drew her sword.

"Yeah, you're right, but it just helped calm my nerves a bit," I said as I drew my dagger and held it back handed. "Wait, where's his servant?"

"Sorry for the delay boy," a tanned, red-headed giant said as he approached Fredrick's side.

"Saber, is that him?"

"Yeah, that's definitely a servant."

"Then you know the drill. I'll fight the Master, and you take on his servant."

Saber and I both readied our weapons as we faced Fredrick and his servant, who seemed to be holding a conversation.

"So, boy what servant are we facing off against?"

"Rider, you're seriously doing this to me now of all times? It's Saber of Black. The servant that Archer fought last night."

"Why didn't you just say so in the first place? A hero that is in the Saber class is definitely worthy of being my opponent." The giant known as Rider said, as he pulled a one-handed sword from his waist. His crimson colored cape waved in the air. "Saber's Master, before we battle, I have one question that I would like to ask you."

"Fire away," I said.

"Was it you that reduced my land to ash?"

Reduce "his" land to ash? He own's London? "You're land?"

"Indeed, my land. I am the king of the land this world has to offer. Once the Grail is in my possession, I will make that so. Destroying what is mine is a declaration of war on me. So, boy were you the one that started this mess?"

"No, I wanted to prevent this entire disaster. But Lardo had to of been the one to set them off."

"I see. Your heart is pure and true. I cannot sense lies in your words. Saber, you have indeed found yourself a kind-hearted Master, but that seems to be all that he has."

"Rider of Red, you'd be surprised of the things my Master is capable of. You should never judge a book by its cover."

"Is that a fact?" Rider of Red said as he rubbed his chin. "Very well, Saber of Black are you prepared?"

"I've been the one waiting on you," Saber said as she smiled at Rider of Red.

The ground exploded as Saber took the initiative step towards Rider of Red. Saber thrust her rapier just for it to be caught by Rider of Red's sword. It was easily caught in thick bladed sword. Sparks few, illuminating their faces for only a moment.

Jumping back, Saber readied her stance once more. A barrage of thrust began to explode from her. Rider could only raise his arms to protect himself. My eyes couldn't keep up with the speed that Saber was displaying, her sword began waving into afterimages: one, five, ten, thirty. But… none of them were a direct hit.

Rider of Red's clothes were tattered from the barrage. There were cuts on his arms and legs. But… none of Saber's strikes would have a long-lasting effect.

Though Rider of Red was a built man, as a servant from the Holy Grail, there was a difference in strength between the servants. A difference that put Saber, a beautiful woman who looked as if she were as frail as glass to be stronger than Rider of Red in a battle between servants.

I'm no first rate Master, but I could tell that just by looking at the two of them going at it. Rider of Red seems to be aware of his position too, as he backs away and slowly panting. If the two were to lock swords, Saber would win that battle, but there is also the chance that her rapier would snap in the process. So, avoiding that is the top priority.

"Say Saber how about you join my army. Your skills would be put into great use there. I can promise you anything you want. Money, power, land it will all be yours if you join me."

"Rider, your offer is quite tempting, but my loyalty is sworn to both France and my Master. I must respectfully decline your offer."

"Oh well, that's too bad. Saber your loyalty is one that is worth praise. Though, since you will not fight with me, that makes you my enemy."

"Sadly, Rider of Red it does," Saber said as Rider and she were facing off.

Neither one of them was willing to budge. Each waiting for the other to strike first. It wasn't very long until the two charged at the same time. To the human eye, their speed was nothing short of extraordinary. In the next moment, Saber's thrusting turned into a lunge towards his right forearm. Rider pulled his arm back to dodge, and Saber used this opening to step forward with another thrust.

Saber's attacks were relentless. Rider of Red was forced completely on the defensive. Barely able to block the strikes that Saber was throwing at him.

Though, Rider was not at such a disadvantage. In terms of speed, the two servants were separated by two grades to be equal in movement, but Saber was faster to strike. Other than that, the two servants were almost equals. But Saber's strikes attacks connected from one blow to the next with terrifying fluidly. She allowed no room for Rider to even think about counterattacking.

It would be impossible for Saber to fight this way if her attacks were focused on how her opponent would respond to each strike. Her opponent's line of sight, distance, breathing, she instantaneously used every factor to direct the fight in her favor. Her moves only had one purpose, that was to eliminate all of her opponent's options, except for the ones that would work in her favor.

It seemed as if Rider was aware of Saber's gimmicks, but still couldn't pull away from her. There was no escape from Saber's barrage. To leap away from her engineering, would be the same as if he leaped onto Death's doorstep.

Rider left himself open for one attack. Saber's rapier grazed his side. Looking at his face as he gritted his teeth, the pain he felt had to be searing. Rider ignored the pain, as he slashed at Saber's chest. But she twisted easily dodging the attack.

Rider look with amazement at the reflexes that his opponent possessed. He leaped back in order to put some distance between the two and let out a breath of relief as he placed his hand on the side in which he had been cut on. "Saber, the offer still stands. I must say, I want you in my army even more than I did before."

"You flatter me," Saber said, as she adjusted her stance once more.

The wound at Rider's side was shallow. It was just his luck that Saber was only able to graze him. If it weren't a graze the wound would have been fatal. Fatal enough to decide his fate if it were just a bit deeper than is

"Rider, I must say trying to cut you is like cutting steel with a stick."

"I am a king. We are very study. That's how we are able to hold our positions."

From her stance, Saber leaped into Rider's range in a single breath and slashed straight across with her rapier. Rider held up his sword to defend but Saber twisted her wrist to thrust her blade into Rider's shoulder.

She pulled her blade out. Droplets of blood were flicked off of the blade, as Saber began to barrage Rider with thrusts once more. To a normal person, these thrusts would drain their stamina after about twenty or thirty if that person had proper training. But Saber was a servant. Anything she could do exceeded the possibility of any person.

Once more, they pulled away from each other. Rider took the first forward. Their blades lock. Using brute force, Rider was able to throw Saber to the side. She fell to the ground, rolling in the ash.

"Saber!" I yelled towards my partner who had just been thrown like a rag-doll. Stumbling back to her feet, Saber managed to stand once more. She looked as though she had taken a few scrapes and bruises along with her fall, but she stood up once more.

"Don't worry," Saber said as she readied her rapier once more.

"That's the spirit Saber of Black! Indeed, a warrior that I am proud to have crossed blades with."

"Rider of Red, you shouldn't claim victory until the battle is over," Saber said with another explosive step to close the distance between her and Rider of Red. A fire burning brighter than the flames the coated the city we lit in Saber's eyes. She likes an opponent who is honorable.

Sparks were flying as the blades clashed together. The sparks were the main fuel to the fires that were burning in the eyes of both servants. It's either they're happy, or adrenaline that's allowing them to smile on the battlefield. They broke away once more, admiring the skill held by the other. If they met under different circumstances, I don't think that these two would be fighting against each other with their lives on the line. No, they'd probably be allies if they were alive around the same time.

Saber leaped forward as far as she could once more. She closed the twenty or so feet between them in the blink of an eye, twisting her frame to the right.

Saber's right hand shot forward like an arrow from a bow. Behind her, was all of the torque and inertia that came along with it. She thrusted twice just left of Rider's center, then a moment later, once more to the right. Saber's strikes were both fast and unerringly precise. Saber did this as she read what her opponent would do.

It went just as she expected, Rider of Red evaded the first two strike, but the third was dead on accurate. It struck Rider's breast, but didn't penetrate too deep to be fatal. He felt the rush of pain that was inflicted by Saber's strikes.

Rider slashed with speed that made them invisible to the human eye. By the time, Rider of Red realized that his attacks had been accurately parried, his sword had already cut through the air multiple times.

The nape of Rider's neck crawled with the anticipation of a counterattack. Though, if he readied his sword and pulled it back, it would immobilize his body and making him an easier target for the Saber who has the deadly accuracy of an Archer. Instead of fighting his momentum, he spun into it.

At the same time, he caught a glimpse of a silver sparkle leaping up towards the base of his unguarded neck.

The lightning strike of Saber sent a shiver down his spine. For a moment, his breathing stopped. He drilled his foot into the ground.

There was ash where he stood. Ash that coated the ground. The friction of the ash was lower than that of the friction of concrete. His luck must have brought him to this point. Drilling his foot into the ground lead him to slip. Causing his whole-body buckle.

Was it fate or luck that led him to this point? Perhaps both. Saber's blade was only able to graze him as he fell towards the ashy ground. A terrifying gust of wind followed Saber's thrust, created by the sheer force Saber had put behind it.

I could see the air waver due to the expulsion released by the destructive power that was behind Saber's thrust.

By now, an incoming thrust was nothing more than an approaching point to Rider. All he would have to do is step sideways and out of the blades path. He used this as a chance to counterattack, but Saber successfully parried his blade.

It wasn't the speed of Saber, but her reflexes that brought a smile to Rider's face. Though Saber looked frail in appearance, she was fierce in battle. A hero truly deserving of the name Saber. Having finally accepting that his opponent was not just a girl trying to play the role of a knight, but someone who could hold that title with pride was Rider's first step towards having a chance at winning. Him realizing this fact alone was like getting hit in the face with a bucket of cold water.

Rider of Red let out a hearty laugh as he looked up at Saber. "Saber of Black, there is no longer anytime left for the two of us to play around. I thought of you as a fragile girl, but you are truly worthy of the name Saber."

"Rider of Red, I'm glad to see that you're finally taking our battle seriously," Saber said as she rested her blade. "So, then Shall we truly get started?"

"We shall," Rider said as he pushed himself back up to his feet. Raising his sword to the air, he began to chant words that I couldn't understand. Lightning struck like one of Saber's attacks. The sky began to get clouded with something more than just ash and smoke.

Creatures that looked like bulls pulled a chariot through the sky.

"Saber… what's going on?"

"The true battle between servants is going to start."

True battle? Was what I just witnessed a warm up?! They both looked as if they were out for blood. Every one of their strikes looked as if it could be fatal. What will the true battle be like if what I just seen was… I don't even know what I just seen anymore.

The chariot crashed on the ground. Lighting lit up the area around the chariot. It was kind of like the signal that called Saber and I her in the first place.

"Master, are you coming?" Rider of Red asked his Master as he mounted on his chariot.

"I'm going to have pass this time big guy. I have some business to settle with snowflake over here."

"Then I shall be off!"

The chariot roared like a lion as it began to take off. Saber looked over at me, only nodding as she began to pursue Rider.

I moved my fingers to readjust the knife in my hand. My grip was firm and steady. I took a deep breath before looking at Rider's Master who was no more than thirty feet in front of me. Kill or be killed just like last time, right?

* * *

 **Author's Note:** This is only part one of a two part battle. The next will be Mahiro facing off against Fredrick. Well, That's pretty much all I have to say for this note.

Let me know what you think in the review I'd love to hear it!


	8. Contre Part 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fate/Series. All ownership goes to Type-Moon, and all other respected owners. I only own my OC's**

* * *

The blaze roars behind the two of us facing each other. The boy who was around my age and was too a master in this war glared dagger towards me. Just because we fought for opposite colors in this war was what made the two of us enemies. No matter how it's put, I can only think about comparing this war between people to a war between countries. We're fighting because I'm in the Black Faction and he's in the Red Faction. Just like any other war, it's a fight for resources; the Holy Grail.

"There's something about you that's been bothering me this entire time," Fredrick said, as he nonchalantly leaned against the ash covered building behind him.

"Oh, what might that be?"

"You're the Master of a Saber, but I just can't wrap my head around how you came to that position."

"That makes two of us."

"Is that so? Mahiro Ishida, right? Last I heard, you were dragged into this war by the Grail as a replacement before the actual conflict started. What made you choose that you'd fight in this war?"

"Honestly, … I didn't want things like this to happen… but like everything else I try to prevent, it happens."

"Childish," Fredrick sneered. He spits on the ground before looking towards me. "You're delusional, you know that, right? If this is what you wanted to prevent, then why the hell didn't you join up with us, you god damn idiot?!"

"Because, you people are no more than monsters! No matter what I do! No matter what I try! Destruction always follows me! If I had it my way, I'd be leading a normal life as a high school student! But then I was dragged into this fucking mess! I'm not a mage! I just don't want to see anyone get hurt!"

"We're monsters!? Do you not see what the fuck the Black Faction is doing!? Open your damn eyes! They're destroying the lives of hundreds if not thousands! London, a city that once stood strongly is being destroyed more and more with each passing second! How the fuck are we monsters here?!"

"Saitoshi…" I murmur just low enough that Fredrick barely hears it.

"Saitoshi…the one that you killed? You're calling us monsters just because you killed someone?!" Fredrick stands up now fully staring at me with an incredulously stare.

"You're ignorant of what really happened! He murdered countless innocent people! He attempted to take my life twice!"

"What do you mean…"

"I mean exactly what I'm saying! Saitoshi murdered the entire staff at my school and used his wife as a puppet. He's the reason why I assumed that things like this wouldn't happen."

"You're lying!"

"I'm not! You're calling me delusional, but you can't even face the reality of the past!"

"Saitoshi would never do something like that! He was a kind man! You're the monster for killing him!"

"Take things for what they are! I've grown to accept that every person fighting in this war is a monster," I said as I looked down at the black dagger that was firmly grasped in my right hand. "The only way that I can fight a monster, is that I have to become one."

 _I'm scared-_

Fear and duty. Cowardice and purpose. Instincts and emotions in complete opposition unite.

 _I'm scared-_

My impulse and sense of responsibility mix in along with my self-preservation instincts.

Fear, it's definitely the fear of death that's pumping in the blood through my veins. No, that's not quite right, is it? There's definitely fear mixed in there somewhere, but that can't be the only thing there, can it?

My body's trembling. I'm looking at the boy before me. He's not like the skeletons that I fought the other day. No, he's living unlike them. He stands before me, but he's no more than a monster like the rest of them, right?

All Mages are no more than monsters, a plague that needs to be eradicated from this world. They're a disease, right? Just something that's only real purpose is to harm the innocent people of this world, right? They're all evil. There's not a single good bone in their body. I'm willing to bet everything on that even their funny bone is tainted to the darkest shade of black.

Right, the person, no this thing before me isn't a person, is it? It's a monster. It wants to hurt everyone and everything that it possibly can. The only things that mind could possibly register are kill, and destroy. But…

If that really the case, then why?! Why won't my body stop trembling? Why can't I move? There's a foe before me and I need to stop it before it can even attempt to hurt anyone else!

"Cold feet?" The Monster said, as he slowly walked towards me with a slight smirk.

No, that's not it…

The words I want to say just won't come out. Nothing is willing to travel up through my vocal chords. But why, why isn't my body not working!? Is it that I… no it can't be! There's no way that I can look at that monster and see a human being after seeing what theses monsters are capable of. He's a monster! Wait… did I just say "he's"? No-no-no, it's a monster!

"So, I was right. You do have cold feet. It's a shame really. I thought that you would provide me with at least some entertainment. Oh well, it just makes dealing with that pretty little blond that much easier. Rider might be angry that I cut his battle short, but I'm sure that he'll get over it."

It's referring to Saber, isn't it? Calling her, "a pretty little blond". It's not wrong with that statement, but…

Saber-

There's no way in hell that I'm going to give it a chance. I won't let anything happen to her. She's the only person that I have in this world. I won't let it or anything else take that away from me!

I grit my teeth and measure out the distance that is between us. Not quite there yet. It just needs to walk a little bit closer.

 _Three-_

 _Two-_

 _One-_

With all of my might, I swing the dagger with all of my weight behind it. Narrowly, the monster escapes the fatal blow that would have ended this battle the moment that it had started.

"It seems I pushed the right button. You reek of blood-lust now. I didn't sense it before, but after that slash I can see it," the monster said in his attempt to provoke me even more.

"…" No more words. No more sloth. Just action.

"What was the trigger here? Lemme guess, it was bringing up Saber of Black, wasn't it?"

My eyes narrowed as I faced the monster.

"It was!" It chanted in self-satisfaction. "Out of all the things in the world who would have guessed that a Servant would be the thing that pushed you over the edge."

"Shut up! You don't know anything! Saber's my partner!"

"That is so?" The monster said as it pulls out a machete like blade. It was definitely bigger than the dagger that I held in my right hand, but the monster wears a smug look as he raises the blade at me.

I finally figured out what was mixing with the fear flowing through my veins. Rage. Just looking at the monster before me was more than enough to bring my blood to a boil.

It's okay to be scared-

It's okay to be mad and angry-

It's okay to be boiling with rage-

But-

Just giving into all of those things in a different story. I'm allowed to feel these emotions, but I'm not allowed to let them consume me. Giving in to the fear, anger, and rage makes me no better than the monster that stands before me.

Clearing my mind, I calmly moved forward to engage the monster that is only steps away from where I am standing.

* * *

The roaring sound of the chariot echoed through the dimmed area. Occasionally it would end up hitting the debris from the buildings that are now slowly being reduced to ash. A tanned red-haired man carelessly went on his way through the debris filled area. He looked like a madman as he wears a smile on the battlefield. The sounds of the ox's galloping are only comparable to that of the cracking of lightning. Following the man is a golden-haired woman.

"Saber of Black," the red-haired man started, staring at his opponent from the edge of his eyesight. "I am looking forward to the rest of our battle. Let this conflict between Servants truly begin as we enter this dance with death."

The red-haired man's words were glorifying the true meaning of battle. It may have been due to his attitude that gave him the ability to smile in the face of death that gave him the privilege of become a hero worthy of having his name engraved in the history of the world, but the golden-haired woman known as Saber was too in the ranks along with this man.

Saber is a hero of the sword. A person who have mastered the art of the sword in their lives were given this title in a form of reincarnation that allowed these heroes to cross blades with others deserving of a title similar to their own. This was gift to some, but a curse to others.

Saber is similar to the red-haired man in that case. The golden-haired woman known as Saber is falling behind the chariot, barely able to keep it within her sights. She travels across what remaining rooftops are in the area. She couldn't help, but smile at the mere idea of facing a foe such as the one slowly drifting away from her sights.

"Indeed, Rider of Red," Saber called out as she is still lagging behind the man. Rider looks over his shoulder and sees the woman called Saber barely keeping up with him.

"Saber if you wish, I could slow down for you," Rider of Red called out as if he were mocking Saber.

"Why, do you need to slowdown in order to say on track?"

"I hope your blade is as sharp as that tongue of yours Saber. If that's the case, then I can only look forward to our battle that much more."

"If I recall correctly, you have already experience my blade first hand. Don't tell me that you have forgotten our warm-up."

"I hope that's not all you have in your arsenal Saber. If so, this will only be a disappointment."

"I wouldn't be a hero of the sword if I didn't have more than what I portrayed earlier."

The chariot began to fade from Saber's sight, but the lightning rumbling of the chariot could be heard from France. Echoing to the point where they could be more devastating than the fire that destroyed this city.

Saber needs to think. She has to find a way to cut Rider of Red off in order to engage him in combat. If she couldn't do that, she would only be a pebble that would be crushed by that chariot. Her only chance of victory would be to find a way to cut him off and immobilize Rider. Currently, she lacks the speed to even dream of keeping up with him, but her plan was the only thing she had to fall back on. This only left her with the question of how she could decommission that chariot of his.

She couldn't see Rider, but she manage to follow the sounds that he left behind. Along with the tracks that he left in the ash coated ground. Saber descended from the rooftops and planted her feet in the ash coated ground. She ran her finger through the ash then rubbed it off feeling the warmth and Rider's leftover mana.

"He was here not too long ago," Saber said to herself, as she stares forward, the only direction that Rider of Red could go.

Saber didn't have the best idea of the way the land was set up here. If anything, Rider of Red would know it better than her. She has to assume that he knew the twists and turns of this area rather than aimlessly traveling through the burnt down city. Though, if Saber had been summoned in the class of an Archer, she wouldn't have to worry about the problem of wandering aimlessly only having tracks and sound to follow.

She looked up towards the moon that floated dimly beyond the holes through the black smoky sky as she mumbled the name of her Master.

* * *

The white-haired boy thrusts his black blade at the monster that stood before him. Countering, the monster and the boy engaged in an onslaught of attacks that was hard to follow, even for the two that were fighting. It was pure instinct that was driving the two through this battle.

As the monster was able to successfully block one attack, three more followed in the blink of an eye. The moment that the monster was able to square his feet and go on the aggression for the first time in this battle, the white-haired boy darted away, rolling on his side, and into a blind spot.

The Monster's eyes began to waver as he tried to keep up with the randomized, but choreographed movements of the white-haired boy. The monster's attempt was desperate, but the monster barely managed to follow the boy's movements.

The monster couldn't predict the boy's movements and strikes as each passing second, they grew in numbers and ferocity.

The monster had the advantage when it came to brute strength and skill, but the boy had the monster outmatched in speed.

The skill that the monster had didn't matter in the slightest. Techniques, footwork, and power nothing mattered if the monster couldn't land a single strike with the machete-like blade that he is forced to rise up in a defensive manner.

Barely managing to block the boy's attacks, the monster looked in disbelief. He began to shout. "What the hell are you?!"

The boy didn't respond to the monster's words. He only gave the monster a glare that was as sharp as the pitched black dagger that he held in his hand.

Abilities, strategies, and techniques. Everything that the monster had, the boy was on the same level. It wasn't something that the boy himself even expected. Fighting for the cause that he had given himself was what pushed him to go above his normal limit.

The boy who just moments ago, looked as though he could be easily overpowered wasn't the same person that the monster was currently in battle with. The only thing that this boy no this demon that stood before the monster was an appearance.

The monster put all its strength into an overarching swing at the head of the demon that stood before him. "You're a god damn demon!" The monster yelled.

The monster swung again and again, attacking wildly, when suddenly, the demon's body became no more than a blur.

The monster was barely able to catch the ongoing barrage of slashing coming from the demon.

Pitch black arcs left dark stains in the air as the demon's blade sliced through the air. The monster could only take subtle steps back as it absorbed each hit with the blade the monster held in his hand.

The monster continues to take steps back as he realized that one false move could lead him into a corner. If the monster were to be pushed back that far, the white-haired demon would be able to land the decisive blow and end the battle at that moment. In fact, that was what the boy now known as a demon by the monster was planning on doing.

Mahiro, had successfully driven the monster into an imaginary corner. Though, just because he had managed to do that doesn't mean that he was confident in victory. He was fighting at a level that he never even imagined that he could achieve. It was thanks to his partner that he was able to do this.

Though, in all honesty, even though he didn't show it on his face, Mahiro knew that he would lose this battle if it were to be drawn out any longer than it had to be. He was aware that his opponent, the monster had a trump card that he could play, while Mahiro had already put all of his cards on the table. He was fighting beyond his limits. That was all he could do in a situation like this one. Even so, he lacked the ability that the monster had, the ability to use magic. He wasn't entirely sure what to expect for he has never actually faced off against a mage.

The building next to the two began to crumble. The bricks and pillars that were the building's foundation began to fall. The ash merged with the dust that filled the air. Both were quick to react to the falling building. Both of their reflexes sent them back before the bombardment of rubble had the chance to overtake either of them. The collapsing building began to shake the ground around the two.

Mahiro began to hear unknown words being chanted behind the cloud of dust and rubble before him. That one other card that the Monster had to play had been dealt. The magic that Mahiro had known about was about to be used the whole reason on why the boy named Fredrick was seen as a monster in his eyes.

The was a fair amount of distance between the two of them. Only things that stood between them was the pile of rubble that formed from the remains of a building.

Mahiro's breathing became uneven. Fighting like that had begun to show just how much of a toll it had be taking on his body. He was panting. Barely able to control what breath he was able to draw. Sweat poured down his face like a waterfall. Despite all of this, he couldn't give up right now. Lowering his guard or relaxing a muscle for even an instant would drive him into the same corner that he had recently driven the monster into.

Magic, the power to come back from the blackest of situations in the blink of an eye. An ability that only the monsters who plagued this world possessed.

Unable to hold his own in hand-to-hand combat, the monster began to try a different strategy to turn the battle in its favor.

Mahiro wasn't a mage like Fredrick, but despite that, he could sense the destructive power of magic whirling behind the dust cloud and rubble.

Mahiro took the initiative and began a one manned charge through the clouded area. Jumping through only to be blasted back by water, but it felt as though he had been hit with the force of ten fire hoses simultaneously.

The force from the water was enough to clear away the fake clouds. Mahiro's eyes widened at the sheer power that he had just experienced firsthand. It was his first encounter with magic. He had seen glimpses of it before with Servants battling, but this was the first time that he had to face it himself.

His eyes began to widen in disbelief. His body was shacking as it did before he had first engaged the enemy. "Shit…" Mahiro said, as he prepared for a second attempt at his enemy, but it was pointless. His second attempt was just a repeat of what happened the first time.

Appearing at the Monster's side, were sharp, lance-line things made of water. With the snap of its fingers, the Monster sent the water lances at Mahiro. They came at him like a bullet with the accuracy of a sniper.

The dagger in Mahiro's hand was able to meet the first one. The knife screamed in agony as it grazed the projectile.

To Mahiro's surprise, they were solid, despite their liquid state, the knife was not able to go through it and break the projectile. Instead, Mahiro was forced to push it away with the knife. One of the projectiles grazed his shoulder as it cut like a freshly sharpened knife. He managed to dodge the remaining two projectiles by the slimmest of margins.

"You're wasting your time," the monster said as he wore a smug grin. Mahiro turned and fell into shock as he seen the projectiles coming back towards him.

Homing magic. Magic that will not disperse until it hits its target.

In an instant, the projectiles finally hit their mark. A blinding flash followed with an explosion occurred upon hitting their mark.

"GAH!"

Mahiro's arm had been reached out in his attempt to escape the attack, but the explosion that followed it caught him off guard. No, it wasn't an explosion, but the force that was carried in the projectile being released upon hitting their target.

The force of the collision threw the boy's helpless body into the pile of debris that he had only previously avoided.

His body was shrouded in smoke, Mahiro's body began to bounce on the pile of debris as he landed. Droplets of blood were flinging through the air around him. The dagger that was once nested firmly in his left hand was now on the ground. The sound of the metal clanging against the ground echoed as it landed.

Once Mahiro had come to a stop, he managed to stagger back onto his feet. However, the clothes that he had been wearing looked more like old rags rather than actual articles of clothing. His left arm was now hanging limp and useless.

Blood began to flow down his face like a river, as most of it stained his snow-white hair.

"If that's all you got, then it's a disgrace that you even call yourself the Master of Saber."

The monster must have been planning this. Pushing every button that he could possibly push. It's like Mahiro is an elevator and Fredrick just ran his hand across the button pad so he would stop at each individual floor.

The boy's once azure blue eyes were now tainted to a crimson red. The monster noticed this as he began his charge, but didn't pay any mind to the small details. Blood dripped from the boy's head as he was barely able to stand. He staggered with each step hit took, holding onto his limp arm. He was after the dagger that he had just lost.

Mahiro looked over his shoulder and seen the Monster charging at him with his machete in hand, but in his eyes, it was in slow motion.

The boy was once told these words. When you are most vulnerable, that is where the greatest chance that you'll get lies-

Though, those words must not be true when someone can barely even stand on their own two feet. The boy could only stagger with each step he would take, barely able to maintain his footing.

The monster's arm pulled back the blade of the machete.

All of the emotions stewing inside of the monster were going to be let out in one strike. He was going to end this entire battle by piercing the blade right through Mahiro's body.

The monster that wore human skin began to show its true face as it began to look more like a wild animal salivating over a kill rather than a human anymore.

The blade cut through the air, but that was the only thing that it had managed to cut through.

Mahiro's body landed in the ash filled ground. The monster looked at the body on the ground in shock. As a word that were barely audible were mumbled from Mahiro's mouth.

 _Saber-_

That was the word that came from his mouth. Following that word, a red flash filled the area as a blond maiden appeared between the two of them.

"Mahiro, you called me?"

"Shit…" The monster said in fear as it stumbled onto it's back.

Saber looked in shock as she seen her Master was badly beaten and lying motionless on the ground. She returned her rapier to its sheath. As she turned to look at the boy who did this to her Master.

"I should put an end to you right now, but due to my respect for Rider of Red and our unfinished battle, I will spare your life this time," The girl known as Saber said as she grabbed both the knife that her Master wields along with her Master too before she jumps into the distance.

* * *

 **Saber Before Being Summoned**

There he was, the red-haired man that she had been aimlessly chasing after this entire time. He was finally back in her sight. His chariot still roared as loud as ever. It was now in her sights, and Rider of Red knew it as well.

Saber began to risk everything she had an assault that she had planned while she traveled. She charged. She charged as she braced for impact colliding, and bursting through what remained of a building to coat the ground in rubble to stop her opponent's chariot.

"Rider, is running the only thing you're capable of," Saber asked as she dusted herself off standing before her opponent.

"Seems like you managed to bring this little race to an end. Oh well, I suppose I did run this on for longer than it needed to be. I was getting tired of wandering through this inferno."

Saber drew her rapier as Rider dismounted from his chariot that he was forced to bring to a halt due to Saber forcing him to.

"It was quite irritating chasing you around like a fox and rabbit, but it seems like it has come to an end like you said," Saber said as she readied her weapon and pointed it towards Rider.

"Then Saber you have my apologizes. I suppose that my pregame show was less than pleasing," Rider said as he readied his one-handed sword and squared off against Saber.

The two-stood motionless as if time had stopped. The area was mute now that Rider's chariot had finally stopped its rampage through the disaster.

Saber firmly planted her feet gingerly in the ash coated grounds below her. She then leaped forward to charge at Rider. Her rapier was readied in her hand. Just inches away from her opponent, she thrusts her blade only to for it to be caught by the flat part of his blade. She retreated to her stance. Her feet were once more planted in a similar fashion.

The air between the two servants seemed to be heating up and it wasn't due to the blaze that engulfed the city around them. Sparks were flying and there wasn't even a strike to follow Saber's first strike. The sky is still a dull shade of black; the moon has yet to find a place where it can peak through the smoke.

Neither Servant twitches as they stand in silence once more.

The look on Rider's face is that of sheer luck. That was the reason he was able to block that attack as accurately as he did, but if luck is like lightning, it never strikes twice. He knew that her speed and attack range far exceeded his own now that he is no longer on his chariot.

Due to Rider's hesitation, Saber took it upon herself to take the offensive. With a lunge forward, Saber began to launch jabs. They were slow enough to give Rider a chance to parry them. Sparks began to fly as the two blades met each other. Rider began to smile on the battlefield once more as the sparks shot up from Saber's countless jabs. Saber could only respond with a similar emotion to that of Rider's.

Saber took a step back along with a breath. She launched three jabs as if they were speeding bullets. The silver rapier turned into a light blue blur as her attacks were impossible to follow with the human eye.

By the time, Saber had realized that Rider had accurately parried the first two blindly fast thrusts, she had only managed to graze him with the third. She was in shock. Her form was off during her third thrust due to being parried the first two times.

She gritted her teeth as she leaped back to regain her footing. Rider looked at her in confusion of her retreat. She tightened her grasp on her rapier, but Rider had finally gone on the offensive.

He slashed his sword in an arc as he locked blades with Saber. Her rapier trembled and screamed by the pressure being put upon it by Rider's sword. A grinding sound and sparks lit up the area. Forceful winds followed Rider's strike.

With a flick of her wrist, Saber threw Rider's blade off her rapier. The clanging of metal rang as it hit the ground. Saber then thrusts her rapier into Rider only to be met by the steel wall that was his body frame. She was barely able to penetrate his skin, if he were wearing armor, then this battle would be a losing one from the start.

Pulling her blade out of Rider was like pulling a sword from a stone. It was harder than it should be, but still possible.

With her feet properly gripping the ground, Saber leaped hard to the right. She bounced again with her left foot to put a safe distance between the two of them.

Rider was unbalanced from being thrown away from the lock that he had created, but still managed to hold that smile on the battlefield. A trait that Saber could only admire.

Saber took a deep breath to steady herself. The Servant before her was no less than formidable, but she could call herself a Saber honorably if she was will to give up only after trading blows for one round.

Both Servants leaped towards each other. Rider swiped his blade to the right to deflect the slash from the silver blade roaring from above. In addition to the constant sparks, and clanging, winds with enough force to make someone brace filled the area. Rider leaped back on instinct, but Saber snapped her weapon forward instantly as if it lacked weight of its own. The swings and slashing coming from the both of them that once seen it was too late to even react to it. They were playing mind games with each other. They had to predict their opponents next move then either deflect or dodge the strikes that could be fatal. Through the barrage that erupted from the both of them, neither one was able to score a clean hit on the other.

It was clear that from this exchange of blows, the two felt a sensation that they had been longing for, an opponent worthy of their best efforts.

Indeed, Saber's strikes and reflexes were incredibly fast. She might be faster than Rider's chariot if it were able to fight with a weapon other than Rider. The only reason that the two were able to keep up with another was due to their history and all of the battles they had lived through while they were alive.

Rider miraculously managed to evade a three-part attack from Saber. Upper-right, lower-left, and lower-right, then was forced to leap even deeper into Saber's range. Through, at this range, it was a double-edged sword for both of the servants. They were practically touching at the range they were in. At this range, a single step wouldn't provide enough distance for either one of them to dodge an attack from the other. If one were to try and create distance that would only result in instant death.

Rider threw a punch with his left hand. A dull thud ran down his fist as it knocked Saber away from him. He managed to safely create distance between the two and create an opening along with it.

Rider slashed his sword in an arc sure that it would hit due to his opponent being off balanced. She was too close to Rider so evasion would be impossible.

Rider watched his opponent's face as shock ran down his back. Saber's eyes were still wide open without a hint of fear found in them. There was no surprise in her azure blue eyes. Her sight was being guided by the blade of Rider slowly closing in on her.

A quick scarp was let out like the sound of metal grinding on stone. Rider's arc had been deflected. Sparks slightly flew on contact, but that was the only thing that Rider was able to hit on the opponent that he felt was helpless. All he managed to see was a silver blur as his blade was thrown off its set path.

Rider was correct when he thought that it was impossible to evade, but he didn't account for this to occur. He stood frozen at what he had witnessed firsthand. The own stood facing each other once more. Saber sheathed her blade as she smiled at Rider.

"I apologize, but I will have to cut our meeting short," Saber said as she removed her hand from the hilt of the sword.

"Why is that?" Rider asked as he did the same.

"It seems as though my Master needs me right now." Saber said as she turned away. "Let us finish this some other time, Rider of Red."

"I look forward to it Saber of Black," Rider said, but no one was there to receive his words.

* * *

 **Elsewhere in London**

In a black coat, a girl stood on a rooftop with a man in red. Her white hair stood out in the blaze that she just witnessed. Her amber-like eyes were complimented by the falling embers.

"Archer… how did it come to this?" the girl asked the man in red whose name is Archer. Archer was fairly built and tanned. His hair was similar in color to that of his Master's but far shorter hair. Archer sat nonchalantly as he viewed watched the blaze.

"These things seem bound to happen in the Holy Grail war I suppose. It's just like the Fuyuki after the fourth war. If anything, someone had to underhand us for something like this to happen."

"Then who do you think did it?" The girl asked as she looked in the same direction as Archer. "Do you think that Mahiro did it?"

"No, I couldn't even begin to imagine that he'd do something like this after he gave that speech the other day."

"I suppose you're right…" the girl sighed out.

"Cynthia, look at this. The brat seems to be holding his own for once," Archer said as he pointed to a part of London that had been severely affected by the inferno. The girl named Cynthia lifted a pair of binoculars to her face and what looked like a rabbit fighting fox was unfolding before her eyes. She was shocked to see that the boy was holding his own against a Master of Red.

"Where do you think, Saber is?"

"No idea, probably somewhere else engaging the Servant of Red. The boy is either stupid like always or brilliant for coming up with a plan that would get him out of Saber's way."

"I'm leaning towards his choice being stupid. Though, I must admit, he can hold his own with that knife that Eliza gave him."

"Is it enchanted?" Archer asked as he watched the boy battle it out from a distance.

"No, we don't have anything like that in the arsenal. He's holding his own with pure instinct and what little skill and techniques that he managed to gain over the time he trained with Eliza. I'm a bit surprised myself seeing him now."

"So, should I intervene and put the enemy Master out of the race?"

"God, Archer has the word strategy ever crossed your mind?" As his Master said this, Archer wore a blank face as he looked away from the boy fighting. "Firing an arrow now would give away our location though, I'm sure they're aware we're here, but we might draw some unwanted attention to us."

"You're right, sorry…" Archer said looking away from his Master and back to watching the fight.

"Plus, there's one more thing…"

Archer raised a brow to his Master's words. He closed his eyes and felt out the area with his senses. "I sense it."

"Congrats… Now you see what I mean? Firing an arrow has more setbacks than it does advances. But we know what we're up against. Territory Creation, this is the skill of a Caster Servant."

"You're sure it's not Hayato's Caster?"

"Positive. That fox-girl could put together a workshop if she was given the materials along with directions to build it."

"You don't seem to have anything nice to say about Caster do you?" Cynthia didn't respond to Archer's words. "Is it because she said you have an ironing board for a-"

"Archer, what were you saying?" Cynthia politely asked her servant as she was clearly irritated. A blood vessel was poking out of her forehead and looked as if it would pop any moment.

"Cynthia, you'll ruin your skin if you hold expressions like that too long."

"T-that doesn't matter!" Cynthia said as her face turned red. "Please focus back to Caster of Red. Can you see him or her anywhere? Just look for Caster's Master. His name was Sakima Pallton if I recall correctly."

"The Native American one? If push comes to shove, I would prefer you not to fight him."

"Why is that?"

"He just seems like an opponent that you can't win against."

"Archer, do you doubt me?"

"No, there is nothing like that Master. My belief is once he gets close to you that's it. The picture portrayed him as a fairly larger man and doesn't look easy to beat."

"So, you're telling me to keep my distance?"

"Yeah, that's exactly what I'm telling you."

"Fine… then, Archer, losing is not allowed , you got that?"

"Wasn't on the to-do list." Archer chuckles as he prepares to depart.

"Also, Archer, one more thing." Cynthia said as her servant looked towards her. "You're Magic Resistance is extremely low so be careful. If anything, take him out from a decent range and make it that. Don't fight any longer than is needed. So, show me what you can do."

Archer only nodded to his Master's words as he jumped from the rooftop. He looked as though he could skim the smoke-filled sky if he chose to. He looks around, scanning the area as he flew like a bird through the sky.

Archer landed on a rooftop further away from his Master. He looked below him and seen the dark-skinned man that he had once seen in the picture during the meeting. Chanting unknown words, he fired his bow. What looked like a sword, fired like a speeding bullet from the bow? It ripped through the wind as it traveled.

Archer seen the face of the servant. He was a man similar in stature to the dark-skinned Master. Caster of Red was a man who was dressed in what looked like Native American tribal gear. His face was partially painted as it was part of his tribal customs. Though, Caster of Red smiled at Archer as the sword-arrow was on the way to take his life.

The sword-arrow crashed into a building and completely missed Caster of Red. A cloud of smoke was added to the air. Archer stood in disbelief as he missed. He never imagined something like that would be possible for him even from the range that separated the two.

"Cynthia I'm engaging," Archer said to his Master who wasn't even near him as he hopped off of the rooftop and to the ground near Caster of Red. He took in a deep breath as he face toward Caster of Red.

"Archer of Black, I assume" the dark-skinned man known as Caster of Red said as he stared at Archer staring as if his possible weaknesses he could exploit are right in front of him. "It was disappointing, you know, your accuracy with a bow. Archer's are given that name due to their skill with a bow, but there were people in my tribe that shot better than you."

"For a Caster, you seem pretty confident to be facing an Archer Servant." Archer sneers drawing mana to summon a weapon.

"Archer's are more long distance fighters as a fact so you should be at a disadvantage at this range." Caster says methodically.

"That sounds more like a stereotype type to me," Archer said as two swords appeared in his hands. They were slightly curved like a katana, but were closer to the length of a short sword. At the same time, Caster of Red shows a knife that was a bit shorter than the swords in Archer's hands. "If you're a Caster, then shouldn't you be more of a magic user?" Archer asked mocking the Servant's previous remark against the Archer class.

"That's more of a stereotype," Caster of Red says with slight mirth as he fixes both his stance and his grip on the steel knife grasped firmly in his right hand. The wind brushed some of the ash and debris across the ground.

Archer takes the first move, as he slashes one of his swords in an arc. It rips through the air as it collided with Caster of Red's knife. Caster's arm was shaking, barely able to contain the sheer force that was brought down upon his arm by one swing from Archer's blade. Quickly, before Archer could even consider slashing at Caster with his free hand, Caster flicked his wrist and Archer's blade flew from his hands.

Caster was pleased with his work of partially disarming his opponent. Ripping through the wind once more comes Archer as he cuts once more with a white blade that was still in his hand. Caster could only jump out of the way to avoid the strike that would have been fatal. However, before he could regain his footing, the black blade that Caster had just knocked out of Archer's hands had appeared once more as Archer charged forward.

Caster is on the defensive as he was forced to dodge and parry the ongoing onslaught of Archer in his furious barrage of seemingly never-ending slashes. Each slash was not refined like that of swordsman who spent their entire life to achieve mastery over their weapon of preference. Though, it was still unexpected for a bowman to be able to hold his own in close ranged combat despite Caster himself not being a Servant who had the aptitude to fight close combat.

Archer continued to push Caster back as he continued to slash. Caster had disarmed Archer of either his white or black blade, but never both at the same time. The moment that one disappeared, another appeared to take its place in his hands to continue the barrage of attacks that Archer was throwing at Caster.

Caster, not being a man of chivalry had no problem fighting with whatever he had at his disposal. Through the barrage, he began a chant in a language that not even Archer could understand. It was impressive, through the attacks, Caster still managed to keep enough composure to chant a spell.

Suddenly, Caster's words had stopped. He finished the chant and from the wind, just like the unlimited blades that Archer seemed to holster in his arsenal, a spirit came to Caster's aid. A wolf spirit. It was a light-green aura that surrounded the being that stood at Caster's side as if it were his pet.

It leaped at Archer. It was as if gravity had no effect on this being. It danced through the air like a feather. Archer could only cross his blades in an attempt to block the attack from what could only be described as a wild animal. Its teeth locked onto the blade as if it were a death grip. The metal blades cried in both agony and pain as they rattled and began to crack while being locked in the maw of the beast. Within moment, both blades shattered into hundreds of pieces. The spirit vanishes as the two blades that Archer wields did the same.

But not to Caster's surprise two more blades came again to take their place. They were exact replicas of the ones that he held moments ago, the same black and white blades were once more in his hands.

"What has it been, thirty, if not forty times that I have disarmed you?" Caster asked as he stood somewhat dumbfounded by the number of weapons that Archer had at his disposal. "Just how many more of those things do you have? You're a mere bowman trying to take the role of a knight. What pride do you have?"

"Pride, don't make me laugh. To live with that is to live in agony. Call me what you want Caster of Red, but you're no more than a hypocrite yourself. A Mage acting the part of an Assassin perhaps? That knife of yours is only allowing me to come to that conclusion if anything else."

Caster didn't reply to Archer's words only with a harsh glare. Instead, his knife the talking for him. Lunging, his knife as if it were a direct extension of his own body, Caster aimed to impale Archer through the heart with the razor-sharp blade that wielded.

Planting his back foot deep into the ash, Archer turned his body as to avoid the attack in a whole, but the knife managed to slightly graze his side. It wasn't fatal, bit a sharp, agonizing pain flooded Archer to the point where it was visible on his face. For a Caster, Caster of Red possessed strength that was clearly above his own. Caster of Red was Archer's better in just about every category, Archer could only beat Caster of Red in his ability to endure wounds rather than inflicting them himself.

Ash and debris was kicked up into the air as Archer stumbled back, but managed to regain his footing before falling.

Caster tore through the lingering ash so quickly that Archer couldn't respond.

Caster's speed wouldn't allow Archer the time to react the most efficiently. The tribesman was on a direct line straight for Archer, once more using his knife as if it were a direct extension of his own body. Archer couldn't even focus on Caster; he could only see the ash twist in his wake.

Caster too lacked the form, but due to his lack of technique, he had acquired some skill in the use of the blade that he wielded in his right hand. He aimed to take Archer's life in one fatal strike.

Archer managed to jump in an attempt to avoid the fatal blow.

This was the reaction speed that only a Servant was capable of accomplishing.

Archer managed to avoid blow after blow as Caster constantly thrusts his knife at him, each strike containing the same fearfully deadly accuracy as the last.

Archer's exposed skin was now raw and bleeding. His knees, elbows, and palms were coated in a dry layer of blood covered in ash.

The wind surrounded Archer as if he were a vacuum. He jumped into the air as if it were oblivion. The two swords that were once in his hands were now taken by the wind and turned back into the energy that originally created them. In his hands now, was the black bow that he originally used to try and take Caster's life.

He began to chant unknown words as a lance-like blade appeared in his freehand. He gently placed it in the string of the bow. The blade thinned out to an almost needle-like state as more force was used to pull back to the string of the bow. Releasing the blade, a red afterimage followed the bullet-like path of the blade. Archer struck like an expert sniper; picking his target and looking for an opening to exploit.

The blade crashed into the ground, but Caster's presence was gone. The place where he once stood was no longer where he was at. Though, his essence still lingered upon the Earth. "Damnit, I was sure that had him," Archer groaned as he stared at the blank slate which the opponent that he had failed to put an end to twice had fled.

* * *

 **Elsewhere in London, (Current Time)**

"Mahiro, you're up," the familiar voice of someone close to me said, almost feeling relieved that I was up.

My vision was blurred as I looked around blankly through the ash filled area. Through the dull gray land that I was in, the golden hair of a person that I hold dear stuck out like a sore thumb.

"Y-your eyes?!" That same voice said as if something was wrong.

 _My eyes?_

Finally, my vision had cleared. The dull world was vivid, but colorless at the same time. The ash coated land that was once a city that no longer stands was painted gray; dull and colorless. Through that dull landscape, the gold that could rival the Sun stood out through the smoky skies. "Saber, how long was I out?" I questioned as I rubbed the back of my head. My consciousness wasn't as awake as my body was.

"A few hours, but that doesn't matter. Mahiro, what happened?"

That's a good question, isn't it? What exactly did happen? I remember fighting the Master of Rider of Red and I'm pretty sure that I got pretty beat up and I lost, but what happened after that? Wait, I was beat up, right!? Why don't I feel it?!

I frantically began to pat myself all over realizing that all of my wounds and the arm that I swore was broken before I got knocked out was all fine. There were sharp pains, but nothing as bad as it once was when I was fighting. How did I get healed? It's just like the time when I fought the skeletons.

"Saber, how did I get healed?"

"That's something that I, myself would also like to know. It's just like when we were in France, you seem to have a knack for being able to heal yourself if anything. I should consider myself lucky if that's the case. At least you're no longer in any danger." She sighed in relief.

"I guess you're right… Questioning it further would be dumb, wouldn't it?" I rhetorically asked. "What did you mean by my eyes?"

"They're red."

"Red? how?"

"Yes, they're red, a crimson red. As for how, I'm not too sure. Perhaps they're tainted with blood. Do they burn at all?"

"No, they feel normal to me. Actually, I wouldn't have noticed unless you pointed it out."

"If they don't hurt, then I suppose concern is irrelevant on the topic. Mahiro, I'm proud of you."

"Proud of me?"

"Yes, you managed to hold your own for a fair bit against a mage and you summoned me using a command seal a crucial moment. You valued your life and that makes me happy."

"Oh, that's what happened, isn't it?"

"Yes, but you shouldn't get depressed over it. Fighting a mage and holding your own against them, even if you lost, you should still walk with your head held high."

"It's a little hard to walk with my head held high if you're carrying the weight of a loss, you know?"

"I suppose that's true. But are you disappointed that you lost?"

"I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't, but I can't say that I expected the other outcome either. I'm not making sense right now, am I?"

"No, I understand where you're coming from. It was a losing battle from the start. Not even I expected you to win, I just wanted you to hold your own long enough so that I could engaged Rider of Red."

"Sorry..."

"Why are you apologizing?" Saber asked as she slightly tilted her head.

"That I'm not strong enough to hold my own... You weren't able to finish things with Rider of Red..."

"Trivial things such as finishing a battle are meaningless. Though, I wasn't able to end things with him, I was able to learn how he fights and his movements so, not all things are lost. In fact we should just be grateful that we have the chance to rise up and fight another day. When that time comes, both of us will make sure that our business ends differently than it has today."

"You're right! There's no reason to drown myself in the defeat I encountered today, rather, I need to look forward, but, hey Saber..."

"Yes, what is it?"

"I learned something today..."

"What is that?"

"I can't stand being around these mages anymore," Saber's eyes widened at my words. "I can't stand to be around people who bring chaos everywhere they go. They're monsters, all of them! They ruin the lives of innocent people, I can't stand it. Saber... run away with me."

She closed her eyes gently, as she nodded her head. "If you so wish it, I will follow you through hell itself."

"I see..."

"If you don't mind me asking, where do you plan on going and what do you plan to do there?"

"I dunno... It might sound like I haven't really thought this out... Well, I haven't really, but I know this is what I want and not some spur of the moment decision."

"You do know more bad will come from this than good, right?"

"Why do you think I asked you if you would run away with me, instead of 'we're running away'? It was a question, not a demand. So, Saber will you?"

"I said it before and Ill say it again, I will follow you through hell itself if that's where you wanted to go."

"Thanks Saber," I said as I pushed myself onto my own two feet and grabbed Saber's hand. The two of us began to walk onto a new path, straying away from the one frequently traveled, to the one that is less traveled.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Okay, well this is the end of this chapter, hooray! A little less than a month in the making and it's finally completed! I don't have much more to say other than thank you! Thank you, to all who have been reading my works and reading this story! Words cannot begin to describe what it means to me that someone, somewhere is taking the time to read what I post. So, Thank you!**

 **Also, I would like to thank King Keith, this old-man is a great author and has really good stories in the Fate/Series category on FanFiction. He wrote stories such as "How to Smile" and "The Defiant Ones". So, you should check him out if you haven't already.**


	9. Ce qui reste

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Fate/Series. All ownership goes to Type-Moon, and all other respected owners. I only own my OC's**

* * *

 **[Romania]**

"Your mission was to bring that fucking brat back here!" A large man yell in a furious tone, as he slammed his meaty hands on a round wooden table with a shining finish. There were three red marks on his hands that labeled him as a Master in this war.

In front of him, was a white-haired girl with auburn eyes and a white dress. She stood only feet away from the large man who was attempting to intimidate her with his words and loud noises like a barbarian. "You're acting quite barbaric. You said that my mission was to make sure that no one interfered with the attack. You never said that I had to bring Mahiro back here. Though, I don't think Mahiro was the one that you wanted back here, is it?"

"Shut the hell up bitch!"

"Oh, did I push a button?" The white-haired girl said with a smug look as she was tempting the large man with a mean similar to the one that he had previously attempted to use on her. "Saber is the one that you're after, aren't you? You're just mad that you're stuck with a Calvary Servant instead of a Servant that's within the Knight classes. You really are childish, you know that?"

"I told you to shut the hell up! I'm the one in charge here! You better fuckin' remember that! I'm calling the shots! You take orders from me! Doing anything else is worthy of treason and death is the only penalty that's fit for a snot nosed bitch that gives her leader back sass."

Neither the girl's form nor her eyes wavered in the sight of this man's words. She stood and listened to his verbal abuse as she stared into his eyes with no sense of fear or intimidation seen within them.

"It's a sad life you live, isn't it? You live in your own world where you're the only person in it. You're just a self-inaugurated king in a high castle, but there's no one below you that you can rule. Pathetic. You're can't force people to listen to you Hussein. You're just a want-to-be dictator."

"How dare you, you fuckin' bitch!"

"God, I hope stupidity isn't contagious. I might catch it from you if I have to listen to you much longer. You seem to only know how to speak the same few phrases so, I hope that it doesn't rub off on me."

The large man looked as if a blood vessel would pop if listened to the words of this girl any longer. He couldn't stand being talked down to. In fact, he hated it more than the white-haired boy that stole the servant that he believed was rightfully his from the start. He couldn't stand to be anything other than the one on top of the castle. If no one would look at him as that, he'd force them to do so. "Y-you're lucky that you're needed," he said as he clenched his first.

"No, you're lucky that I'm staying."

That was it, he was at his breaking point. He opened his palm as he slapped the white-haired girl, but before he could make contact with her, a man cloaked in caught the slap on his forearm.

"Mason, if you are to even think about physically harming my Master, you will regret it," the man cloaked in red said.

Without him noticing, razor-like fingers were pointed at the cloaked man's throat. "Archer, I'd advise you not to threaten my Master, because, it would be a shame to lose you before the conflict is over."

"Tck," Archer said as he clicked his tongue. "You're only a threat due to your concealment skill. If it wasn't for that, no one would even consider you a problem. You're almost on the same level as that fox-girl when it comes to usefulness."

"I didn't quite catch that," Assassin said, as he slightly dug his fingers deeper into Archer's throat to break skin. A small stream of blood flowed from the point of impact.

"You win," Archer said, as he lowered his arms. At the same time, Assassin removed his fingers from Archer's throat. "Though, you are aware that if we were to fight head-to-head."

"That I am, but as I recall, there are no rules to combat as long as you win, do you not agree Archer."

"I can't see any flaw in that view of combat. You and I are no knights Assassin, so it's only natural that we think that way. We're not like Saber who'd only disagree with our words." Archer said, as he returned to spirit form. Assassin followed his lead and did the same.

"Thanks Archer," the white-haired girl sighed out in relief. The large man left the room. This led to the girl sighing in relief once more.

"Cynthia, you seemed to have enjoyed yourself with that conversation with Lardo. What'd you call him? Hussein? You're starting to sound like Mahiro, you know that?"

"Eliza!?" Cynthia said in shock, as she faced the red-haired girl with a green coat on. "How long have you been there?!"

"Long enough."

"That's not really a time span," Cynthia said, clearly not amused with Eliza's remark.

"Start to finish, better?"

"I suppose."

"So, about Mason."

"What about him? He's a tyrant."

"If you want my opinion, I think there's a certain charm to his ways."

"I'm not sure that I agree or get what you mean by that."

"God, girly you need to learn how to take a joke or two." Eliza shrugged. "By the way, I heard that you were in London during the battle."

"…"

"You should have told me. We could've had quite a chat. Well, we still can."

"I assumed that you were aware of all this. I wasn't keeping it a secret or anything, it just never came up so, I assumed you knew."

"Well, I didn't." Eliza said as she took a seat at one of the chairs at the table. Cynthia followed her lead as she did the same. "So, what happened?"

"What do you know?"

"Just the basics of what were on the news. It's worldwide news, ya' know? They're calling it a terrorist attack. They're assuming that Islamic radicals caused it for the time being. Aside from the Clock Tower being blown up, and the videos that came to surface from that I don't know much more than that."

"London was destroyed…"

"What do you mean?"

"What it sounds like. The entire city was burnt to a crisp. It's like a modern Pompeii minus the volcano that did it to Pompeii."

"Now that you mention it, I do think the news said something along those lines, but just worded it weirdly. I didn't completely catch that part I guess."

"Yeah, it wouldn't have made much sense to have left that part out of the picture. That should have been bigger than the Clock Tower being blown up alone."

"So, that's basically what happened?"

"Mhm," Cynthia said, as she shook her head.

"Now, what happened to the boy?"

"You mean Mahiro?"

"Who else?"

"Fair enough. You taught him well."

"No, I only gave him what her needed. The experience that he gained plus natural talent are what led him to where he is with combat. His speed is no less than extraordinary so, I only gave him a push in the direct that I thought would work out to be the best for him." Eliza said in self-satisfaction, before the realization hit her. "Wait, he fought a Master?!"

"The Master of Rider of Red. He held his own for quite some time, He was fine when it came to melee combat, but didn't stand a chance against magic."

"Is he okay?!"

"He should be. Before things got too bad, he used a command seal to summon Saber and she took him away."

"Did you see him after that?"

"Yeah, after Archer dueled with Caster of Red, he managed to spot the two of them and we went to them. Though…"

"Though what?"

"Well…"

"Well?!"

"Um…"

"Just spit it out!" Eliza said as she slammed a hand on the table.

"You see… Mahiro didn't seem like his usual self."

"Can you blame the kid?"

"What do you mean?"

"The past few days have been nothing less than chaotic for him. He encountered death numerous times in the past few days. He witnessed the death of hundreds of people. I wouldn't feel comfortable calling someone a human being if something like that didn't affect them. Honestly, I can only respect him for caring that much about people that he doesn't even know."

"I suppose…"

"Anything else?"

"Well, his eyes were crimson."

"Were they stained with blood?"

"No, I don't think so. They looked real. You know, something like an Einzbern homunculus would have. That aside, Saber didn't seem to be too concerned about it so, I can only assume that he's fine. I just gave him a scarf and left. I said that I wouldn't bring any of this up to Mason."

"I'm sure he'd appreciate it. By the way, where do you think he is now?"

"He should still be in London, I think… No, he is there. He hasn't left London or the surrounding area."

"How do you know this?" Eliza asked with a quizzical face.

"Remember when I said that I gave him a scarf?" Cynthia asked, as Eliza nodded in confirmation for her to continue with her point. "There's tracking magic weaved into the threads of it. Mahiro is still a novice and that's pushing it when it comes to magic. He only is aware of its existence, but no more than that. So, it's not something that he'd be able to detect." Cynthia was saying until she was interrupted by Eliza.

"What about Saber?"

"I was getting to that," Cynthia said as she cleared her throat. "Ehem, as I was saying, Saber has to be aware of its presence, but is keeping quiet about it for the time being."

"Why would she do that?"

"You're aware of who Saber is, no? She isn't dumb. She knows that I'm someone her Master can trust if anything. If push came to shove, her and I are both aware that she could kill me in less than a second. In close combat, Archer wouldn't stand a chance and she knows that too. Doing something to endanger her Master has more cons than pros."

"I guess you're right there…" Eliza said as she got up from her seat. "Are you coming?"

"Thought you'd never ask," Cynthia said as she got up from her seat and followed Eliza's lead, as the two left the now vacant room.

* * *

 **[Ruins]**

The tar-black clouds began to fill the sky. It's been like this all day. Just like before, the sky was shaded black. I must have PTSD or something, because no matter where I am, I keep reliving that day. The day that it all went to hell.

It was a few days ago, the day that this war started. The day that London was burnt to the ground. I didn't want anything like that to happen, but things just worked out to be that way. It's Lardo's fault. I swore to that. My mind would only let me think that. I cursed his very existence. He's scum to the Earth, but people still follow him every one of them are Monsters.

The clouds that filled to sky with emotion, finally started to cry. They're like me, aren't they? Their filled to the brink with all sorts of emotions and just let them all out when they've had enough. The only difference between the clouds and I, is that they have that luxury to do that.

I stuck my hand out in as the droplets fell from the sky. The droplets that landed, exploded in my hand.

"Mahiro, you'll catch cold if you stay out here much longer." The voice of my Servant, Saber echoed through my head.

"Where would you like me to go?"

She didn't respond. She knows that I have nowhere to go. She knows that no matter what we do, I'm far away from home. I would kill to have my bed back. I would kill to have nothing to do with this war anymore, but the only thing that's stopping me from throwing everything away, is her. Saber is the only thing I have. If I am to lose her, I only feel like I'll lose everything.

With nowhere to go, I just sat alone, on a park bench. The rain was pouring hard. My clothes were soaked, but I was at the point where I just didn't care about the trivial things like that anymore. It just started to feel irrelevant to me.

"Saber."

"What is it?"

"Isn't there something horrifying about the people in this world that knowingly use other people as stepping stools." I said as I looked towards the ground. I don't think that I can show my face to the world anymore. After everything that I've seen.

"What are you talking about? You're haven't been acting like yourself lately. I'm starting to get worried."

"Don't worry about it," I said, trying to appease both of her questions. But, who am I kidding? The people who unknowingly live in their own little world, trapped in a delusion that think is the actual reality, but despite that they use the people who have to work hard for everything in life as stepping stools are the scary ones. As this crossed my mind, I could only picture the dictator of the Black Faction.

The reason I didn't want to go back there wasn't because of our two different ways of thinking, but our two different ways of living. It's about those who feel the need to trample over others because of the delusion that their lost in, and those who have the morals that make them do otherwise. I think that's what this whole thing is about. At least to me.

This who incident forced me to think about life and question the meaning of everything. I once read that everything happens for a reason, but I couldn't think of the reason for why I'm being forced to fight in something that I don't want to be a part of. The only plus side to any of this, I that I could possibly wish for the whole world to be oblivious. That would make this hell a paradise. Having every last human being be so obvious as to never question life. People would never question their purpose, nor the meaning to life. A would like that would be impossible. But I can still wish, right? It's more or less a question what's valued more. The individual or the mass.

"Mahiro, are you okay?" Saber said, as she broke my chain of thought.

"Sure."

"Are you lying?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, it does!"

"Then sure."

"You've been spacing out a lot lately, I'm getting worried about you."

This is the second time that she has said that. "I'm getting worried about you." No matter what I do, I can't seem to register the meaning of those words. They just don't seem to be anywhere within my dictionary

"I said I'm fine."

"I don't believe that one bit!" Saber yelled as she appeared before me. It wasn't like she was furious with me, but there might have been a hint of anger along with sincerity within her tone. No, it wasn't like she was screaming at me, or chewing my ear off, but more like a lecture that a parent would give a child. "You're not being you! I just want you to go back to the way that you used to be. The Mahiro that I met back at that park. The same one that wanted to be a hero!"

A hero, huh? Did I really want to be one of those? The one who beats up the bad guys and saves the day. The one who raised the shield to protect those who can't protect themselves. The one who picked up the sword to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. I really wanted to be something as childish as that? "I said I'm FINE!" I lashed out. Saber jumped back by my words. They seemed to have caught her off guard.

 _Sorry…_

Saber looked towards the ground. Her blue hat acted like an umbrella as it didn't look as though she was getting wet from the downpour.

"Mahiro…" She said, not looking up from the ground. I didn't respond. I just listened. "What is it that you want to gain from this war…?"

"I don't know."

"Please! Just tell me something other than that!"

"I have no interest in the grail. I was dragged into this. The only thing that I want is out."

"Then use your command seals."

"Why should I?"

"You said that you wanted out of this. Using the remaining two will sever the pact we formed, and you can return to your normal life. The church will protect you until the end of the war."

"What happens to you?"

"Without a supply of mana, I'll disappear from this world."

"Why are you telling me this? I see no way that something like this could benefits you."

"Of course, you wouldn't…" Saber mumbled. "You wouldn't see it, even if you wanted to."

"Then no."

"It seems that I was right to take that gamble," Saber said, as she looked towards me instead of the ground. She looked as if she was crying. No, not "as if", she was. She was crying. There's not a doubt in my mind that she wasn't. At the end of the day, Saber was, no is a person just like me too. She feels happiness. She feels sadness. She feels anger. She feels lust. Just like a normal person, she isn't a robot, but a person. "You are still there, aren't you?"

 _Am I still here?_

"You're just locked away somewhere, aren't you?"

 _Am I locked away?_

"You're still my Master. You are the one whom I pledged the oath of my sword to. You are Mahiro Ishida, aren't you?"

 _Is that who I am…_

"Sure, your appearance has changed a bit, but you're still you. If you're locked away somewhere, then as your Servant it's my duty to find you and save you." As Saber said this, she grabbed onto my arm and pulled me up. "C'mon, I know a place that we could go."

She dragged me through what was left of the streets. It was vacant. Rarely, I would see a person, but I couldn't make eye contact with them. I feel as I am partially to blame for what they are going through. I don't have the right to look a single one of these people in the eye. They deserve to know the truth of what happened, but even if I told them, they wouldn't believe me. Saber kept leading me through a few twists and turns of the rubble that was felt of the city.

Destruction and debris filled the streets. It looked like something out of the news. It's like a place that fell into anarchy. People fell into their almost animal-like states. It was like taking a trip back in time to where humanity first started, but London almost looks like Syria. Engulfed in rubble from attacks and people fending for themselves. A state of anarchy, indeed.

The rain slowly came to a halt and was now no more than a slight drizzle. Though, the tar-black clouds still filled the air.

"Young lady and man would you by any chance be willing to humor an old woman?" A voice called to Saber and me. It was weary and didn't have much impact to it either. Despite everything, I looked. I looked at the old wrinkled, tanned-skin woman who called out to me. But I refused to look her in the eyes. Her head was filled with gray hairs, but she was smiling. I could only question how that was possible. Through everything that had just happened, she was smiling. How could someone smile even though they had just lost everything.

I broke free from Saber's grasp and walked towards her. She was sitting on a milk crate with a plastic table in front of her. "How can you smile after everything that has happened here?"

"That's a good question boy."

"Mahiro."

"My hero?"

"No, my name is Mahiro, not boy."

"Sorry, my hearing isn't the best."

"I could have figured that much…" I mumbled so she couldn't hear me. "But how can you be happy?"

"Have you ever heard the saying that there's no point on crying over spilled milk, or is that before your time?"

"No, I've heard of it."

"That's why."

"I don't see how something of this degree could be compared to that of spilling milk."

"They also serve who only stands and waits."

"You're not making any sense. Who are 'they'?"

"God. God will help us as long as we wait for his blessings. Every cloud in the sky has a silver lining."

"All I can see are black clouds."

"Then you're not looking deep enough. There's light in everything. God gives us that light, as long as you look towards that, you too can smile."

"I still don't understand."

"Give me your palm."

"Huh?"

"Your palm, stick it out." The lady demanded, but I did as I was told. Maybe I felt bad for her, but I didn't resist her will and did as I was told. She ran her wrinkly fingers across my palms as she closed her eyes. She seemed to be in a trance or some deep concentration.

"Wh-what are you doing?!"

She only shushed me and went back to feeling my palm. She kept on doing rubbing her fingers on my hand for a few more minutes before she opened her eyes and looked at me.

"You've become quite the liar recently, haven't you?" She said as she began her session of what I believe is palm reading. "You also seem like you don't like to show your emotions either. Though, you're not too good at controlling these feelings of yours either. This will only lead to you living a life full of regret. You strive to be independent, but you're trapped under someone's command. You're living a life of follow the leader, no? When you're in a position you want to run, but your conscious is what's holding you back. No, not just your conscious, but perhaps there is someone that you want to protect too. You risk your life, but you're not dumb in doing so. Does that sound, about right?"

"Isn't what you just described what people call a 'cold reading'?" I shot back at the old woman. "To some extent, the things that you said could be true to all people to some extent."

"You're not dumb, just like I said. Hmmm, maybe. Then let us talk about your relationship what that young lady that you were walking with. Something that we fortune tellers call a compatibility reading. You and that young lady over there are the type of people that will stick together throughout just about anything. You're willing to put everything on the line for her as she is willing to do the same for you. The reason for that, trust perhaps? Though, both of you are ignorant of just how important you are to each other. Though, at the same time, no matter how much you care about her, you're jealous of her. Yes, that's it. This girl before you, she can do everything that you can't. She has the power for change, but isn't using it. That same power is the one that you're after, isn't it? But you're happy that she isn't using that strength. You think that if she does, she'll be out of your sights and you won't be able to catch up to her. Because of that, you're happy."

I clenched my fists at the old woman's words. Despite it being fairly vague and probably something she just made up as she went along, she wasn't that far off. Saber means a lot to me. I don't want to lose her if she changes. But at the same time, she can do everything that I cannot.

"Sorry, but I think that you got me all wrong. I can't say that I'm that complex of a person. I think that I'm as simple as I could be."

"Perhaps, perhaps not."

"Besides, if that's the case, why would I be with Saber all the time."

"Your feelings for her and you wanting to be strong enough to protect her instead of it being the other way around." The old woman said as she gave a gentle shrug. "Occasionally, there are guys just like you. People who have something that they want to protect."

"Everyone has something that they want to protect."

"That's where you're wrong boy. Not many people want to protect something to the degree that you're willing to go. Anyone can claim that they'd be willing to die for someone, but if or when that time came, they'd protect themselves over the other. It's something called human nature. Putting one's own life ahead of someone else's. It's the part of ourselves that even we humans don't like to think about."

"What makes me any different from any other guy?"

"Simple, you're willing to give anything for that girl. I can tell that just by looking into your eyes. She means everything to you, does she not? You'd walk through hell shirtless if you needed to for her. But I'm just an old hag who might be claiming to be a fortune teller. So, what do I know?"

* * *

 **[Train]**

The trees and buildings were no more than a blur in the eyes of the two girls as they sat in a cart drinking tea. The red carpet on the floors went together nicely with the red walls to the cart along with the velvet seats and wooden table in the cart.

"Eliza, how much longer until we're in France?" Cynthia asked, as she rested her head on her hand and looked out the window.

"By tomorrow. You should have known this would be the case before we even got on the train back in Romania." Eliza said, as she elegantly sipped on her tea. "Besides, once we get to France, we need to find someone with a boat who'd be willing to take us to London. I doubt there are any ferries that are currently traveling to or from there after what happened. So, we still need to secure something along those lines too."

"I wish I would have thought this out before we even left," Cynthia sighed out.

"Are you saying that you don't want to come? You could always get off at the next stop and catch the next train to Romania."

"Pass."

"Huh?"

"I rather not go back there if I don't have to. If I don't have to be with Mason, I'll take any chance I can to get out of even making eye contact with him."

"You seem to dislike him that much. You're starting to sound like Mahiro."

"Yeah, I'm starting to see that myself… I'm so bored…"

"I don't know what to tell you. You said that you'd be willing to go with me."

"Then let's talk about something. Eliza, despite that you're just a wanderer, I don't know much more about you."

"I suppose that you don't, do you?"

"I do not."

"Why do you want to know about me? Is it to kill time, or something?"

"Partially, but you haven't hit the bulls-eye just yet."

"Then why?"

"We're girls, are we not? So, gossip and things are entertaining no matter how much you try to suppress it. It's like second nature to us."

"I suppose…" Eliza sighed out, but not denying the facts that lie within Cynthia's words.

"Sooooooooooooo."

"Why'd you drag it out like that?"

"Dunno. Are you going to say anything?"

"I suppose… You are aware that I am a noble, no?" Eliza asked, which Cynthia only shook her head in ignorance. "Well, being that I come from a noble family, I was quite wealthy. I could have anything that I wanted when I wanted it. As a child things like that were nice. I loved it in fact, what child wouldn't? To have every toy or gift you wanted the second you wanted it. It's a dream for a child."

"Go on," Cynthia said to try to move Eliza's story from its current halt that it was at.

"Ehem," Eliza said as she cleared her throat and got Cynthia's attention in one motion. Killing two birds with one stone this is called. "As I was saying, despite having everything, I was lonely. I had no friends then, my parents kept me away from everything."

"So, your life is one of them 'my parents kept me from the world so, now I'm experiencing things for the first time', type of thing, no? Everyone has heard this story before. It's the same ending. Because of what happened, you now ran away and became a wanderer, who wants to experience the world, right?"

Eliza was taken aback by Cynthia's words. Cynthia wasn't wrong with thinking that and that's the part that caught Eliza off-guard. "I-is my story that simple…" She said, sounding dispirited by not only the simplicity of her life in the eyes of a kid, but that fact that Cynthia was right with everything that she said. "If it's so simple, then what's yours?"

"Thought you'd never ask. Sapphire isn't my real last name." Eliza leaned closer as Cynthia seemed to have peaked her attention. "Before I was adopted, my last name was Lynch."

"Lemme guess, you were adopted since birth and never met your parents."

"No… you're wrong there. My parents were killed…"

"Sorry…"

"No-no, it's not something that you need to apologize for, I'm used to it. They were murdered, but I never got to meet them so I never thought much of their deaths to begin with. In fact, the memories that I have of them are few in number and are beginning to fade away."

"I see…"

"I only remember that I had a brother, but I can't remember his face or his name. Everything since before I was adopted, is mainly a blur. If I was shown a picture of my parents I probably wouldn't know who they were. I might say 'who are these people?' or something along those lines."

"So, you're saying that you don't remember them at all?"

"Basically… But enough of that part. I was adopted by the Sapphire family, there a well-known and wealthy family back in Ireland. The moment they found out my parents died, they came right to me and asked if I wanted to be their child. I said yes without a second thought. I wanted companionship, I think. I was scared of being alone. No, I am scared of being alone."

"You're seeming to be more and more like him. You and he are really similar, but he still hasn't realized what exactly he wants. He's oblivious to what his heart wants and tends to over thinks somethings, but tend to also act on impulse."

"You seem to know a lot about him."

"Why wouldn't I? I'm the one who taught him. You learn a lot about a person by fighting them. It's ironic, isn't it? Something people try to avoid seems to draw them closer. It's kinda funny when you think about it like that, isn't it?"

"I suppose so. Wait, where was I? Oh, right. The Sapphire's. They adopted me, but I remember hearing the father talk about how he only adopted me to continue his family line of mages so, he taught me, thinking that I was ignorant of what his reason. Mother was sterile so, she couldn't directly continue the family line and I was the last hope that he had. Luckily, I was adept at Magecraft."

"What magic would that be?"

"Elemental. Lightning magic. That's what we Sapphire's specialize in."

"I see," Eliza replied as she nods.

"Yeah, but throughout that time, I read books."

"What type of books?"

"About the great tacticians. Y'know, Hannibal, and Alexander the Great. People along those lines. So, I kinda learned some tactics that I'm planning on using when I find the chance, but I don't think Mason will allow me to even think about taking control so, under his command my chances of even thinking about doing using them is practically taboo."

"You're not wrong there kiddo. You're definitely not wrong. So, mage family aside and everything else, how did you become aware of the Holy Grail War? I was raised to do something along these lines growing up. Did the Sapphire's put you up to it?"

Cynthia shook her head. "No, it wasn't them. I received a letter from an anonymous person claiming to be my brother. I don't have the letter anymore, but it said something along the lines of: 'Christ is resurrecting and you need to protect what remains of him.' Or something like that."

"Are you sure that it isn't some weird occultist, or even someone from the church?"

"I haven't ruled out either one of those ideas, but that's how I know of the Holy Grail War. At least, that's what I believe that letter was hinting at. Something like Christ being used to describe something, or even stating his name will only let me believe that it's the Holy Grail War that person was referring to."

"I can see how you're thinking that the Grail is what they're talking about, but you really shouldn't think that the Grail is the only possible thing that they're talking about."

"Maybe so, but I want to believe that I have an actual family out there. No matter how far, or distant this person may or may not be. I don't know that they're real. It could be a prank or even a letter from father, but my heart tells me to believe that I have a family somewhere."

"You're not wrong to think that."

"You think so," Cynthia giggled. "So, how much longer?"

"We should be there by tomorrow."

* * *

 **[Outskirts]**

"Mahiro, it should be here," Saber said as she pointed towards cave. She led me to the outskirts of what remains of London. The grass surrounding the cave looks painted gray, as it is covered with ash from what happened the other day. I didn't ask what she was talking about, as Saber continued to walk into the cave.

I followed her. It was relaxing. Walking in here is kind of like an opportunity to walk past the travesty that happened. No, that's just sugarcoating things, isn't it? In reality, it's the fact that I didn't have to look at it while I was in here. It made me sigh in relief. Saber must have heard me, because she seemed to giggle at it.

This cave looks as if it hasn't been touched in forever. It's pristine. There hasn't been any involvement from the outside, modern world, or at least it looks like that. Despite that, Saber just marched forward as if she knew where everything was. No, it wasn't as if she knew where it was, it was more like she had a map of this cave implemented into her brain as she moved through this labyrinth-like cave with ease.

"Here we are," Saber said, as she came to a sudden stop. She opened the steel door that I would have missed completely is Saber hadn't opened it. It creaked open as if the bolts or hinges have rusted to a degree that makes them not salvageable. Once she walked in, she lit the candles that were on the wall. They're not on par with the current light bulb, but they lit up the room enough to make things visible compared to majority of the cave that Saber just led me through. "It's just as I left it," Saber said as she looked happier than usual. Though, something about this whole place seemed fishy to me, since we walked in. It wasn't Saber who'd purposely put me in a position that'd make me think that, but there was definitely something off about this place.

"Saber, how long ago was that?" I asked as I looked around the room, without moving from the door. Saber was only steps in front of me.

"At least centuries ago, why do you ask?"

I didn't respond to her. Instead, I observed the like I was a hunter, and I was carefully watching my pray's every move. I ran a finger across a desk that was from Saber's time. It had to be worth a lot not only due to its age, but it's condition too. I looked at my finger, and just as I though, there was something fishy here. There was no dust on my finger. "Saber, do you think someone might have come here recently?" I asked, as I ran my finger across another piece of furniture just to get the same result.

"Positive, why?"

"There's no dust."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that if this place hasn't been touched in centuries as you claim, the dust that should coat everything here isn't here. This place has been cleaned and recently, perhaps a day ago, not even."

Suddenly, footsteps began to approach Saber and I. They were loud enough to hear, but not obnoxiously loud. "So, Saber of Black, did you follow mana trail that I left?" the sound of a man's voice said as he began to get closer.

Swiftly, Saber moved her hand to the handle of her rapier that rested at her side. She stared at the man as he walked into our sight. He was older. Maybe close to his late thirties or early forties. He had black hair slicked back, but there were signs of graying occurring across his head. His auburn eyes looked similar to Cynthia's, but that was about as much as the two had in common. He was wearing a dark blue suit and what looked like designer shoes to go with it. He looked very proper and stern, but he was a Master. Looking at him, I felt as if I had seen this man somewhere before, but where? I dug into the deepest part of my memories and past the flames that filled them yesterday. It was there! Yes, in Romania in the pictures of the Master's that Lardo had shown us while we were all sitting around the table. Kellin Taylor

"Saber of Black I believe that it would be wise of you to let go of your weapon if you wish to keep this albino boy alive," Kellin said, as he snapped his fingers. At that moment, a man appeared before me with a dark teal outfit and a matching shoulder pad on his left shoulder. He held a red lance at my throat. Despite him holding my life in the palm of his hands, he was a pretty handsome fellow. His black hair was slicked back as a strand fell down his face. Under his right eye was a mole that added to his complexion. This man was Lancer of Red.

Saber did as the man said and released her hand from her rapier. With another snap of his fingers, the lance held at my throat disappeared.

"Kellin Taylor I presume," I said as I rubbed my throat.

"Seems as though I'm quite popular around the Black Faction."

"Wouldn't know."

"Oh?" He questioned as he raised a brow.

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you albino boy."

"Answer me," I shot back as I locked onto him. I slowly began to reach towards my lower back to the dagger that was sheathed there. But before I could get a hand on it, Saber shot me a look saying that pulling the knife here wasn't the best idea. My arm went back to my side in response.

"Smart boy. Pulling out that dagger of yours might make Lancer and I fell a bit threatened, no? Might even give us way to end your life before you could even completely pull out the weapon."

"Why are you here?!"

"Lancer and I just so happened to stumble upon this place as we left London after the Clock Tower was destroyed. This place just so happened to be completely furnished and with a little dusting, it looks good as new. Though, I was surprised to come across this place. It was never shown on the records. Makes you wonder who used to live here? Though, those trivial things aren't important, are they? Come now boy we have much to discuss."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hey guys, I know it's been about a month since I last updated, but school is picking up. There's essays, and tests, and all these other fun things that I couldn't go without. Who am I kidding... I want it to end... So very badly... They just keep coming back-to-back so it's getting rough trying to put out two chapters a month and still study and get all of my assignments done. So, I might need to make it one a month for the time being.**

 **Also, another fun fact, I'm planning on writing another fic because I kinda wanna change in pace from LQ for like a chapter and write something different. Y'know, to connect my thoughts and jazz. Anyways, I bid thee adieu.**

 **Also, I wanna thank King Keith for reading over this and helping me out with this chapter here and there. So you should check him out!**


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